


The Apology

by Kaogasm



Category: Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies), The Avengers (Marvel) - All Media Types
Genre: AU, Action, Action/Adventure, Alternate Universe, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Assassination Attempt(s), Avenger Loki (Marvel), BAMF Loki (Marvel), Brotherly Love, Burns, Confessions, Couch Cuddles, Cuddling & Snuggling, Everyone is angry at Loki, F/M, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Forehead Kisses, Gentle Kissing, Getting Back Together, Getting Together, Good Loki (Marvel), Hurt, Hurt Loki (Marvel), Hurt/Comfort, I Wrote This Instead of Sleeping, Kissing, Loki & Bucky Barnes Friendship, Loki & Bucky are bros, Loki (Marvel) Does What He Wants, Loki (Marvel) Has Issues, Loki (Marvel) Needs a Hug, Loki (Marvel) is Not Amused, Loki (Marvel) is a Good Bro, Loki does not apologize, Loki has secrets, Love, Marvel - Freeform, Medical Trauma, Non-Consensual Kissing, Original Character(s), Platonic Cuddling, Platonic Female/Male Relationships, Protective Avengers, Protective Bucky Barnes, Protective Loki (Marvel), Protective Team, Protective Tony Stark, Protectiveness, Relationship(s), Scars, Secrets, Shower Sex, Slow Build, Team, Team Dynamics, Team as Family, Trauma, Violence, Weapons, What Have I Done, What Was I Thinking?, Winter Soldier Bucky Barnes, burn scars, loki wants revenge
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-30
Updated: 2020-10-03
Packaged: 2021-03-04 17:35:35
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 27
Words: 130,270
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25000255
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Kaogasm/pseuds/Kaogasm
Summary: Forced into an early retirement, (former) agent Amber Bishop is now running her own cafe and minding her own business. She would have forgiven him had he apologized for what he had done, but he didn't. And it doesn't look like Loki plans on ever apologizing.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes & Loki & Original Female Charachter(s), James "Bucky" Barnes & Natasha Romanov, James "Bucky" Barnes/Loki/Original Female Character(s), James "Bucky" Barnes/Natasha Romanov, Loki (Marvel)/Original Female Character(s), Loki/OFC, Pepper Potts & Tony Stark, Pepper Potts/Tony Stark
Comments: 182
Kudos: 139





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Yeah, so my brain has been poking me about starting to post this before I'm anywhere near finishing The Art of Life. The muses were stronger than my will to wait, and I am an extremely patient person (only on the outside though). So here it is. I have soft spot for angst and drama.. yeah.. okay, before I start babbling, here it is.. enjoy!

_“Gazing through the window at the world outside_   
_Wondering will Mother Earth survive_   
_Hoping that mankind would stop abusing her, sometime”_

Amber sang along to the song on the radio, wiping the bar counter with a towel. It’s been a while since she had heard some quality music on the radio, and apparently at that morning they had decided to remedy that by playing some heavy metal. While she wasn’t a big fan of Ozzy, she still loved this particular song. She should definitely create a proper playlist and have that play at the cafe instead of leaving it to the radio. The top whatever music didn’t cut it for her. Pop music wasn’t her genre, and her cafe was playing that genre nowadays more than ever. Yep, she should definitely remedy that, once she could remember to do it, that is.

A soft chime of the doorbell indicated a customer walking in. She looked up only to see familiar faces walking through the door with wide grins decorating their faces. “Well, as I live and breathe, you guys finally decided to show up!” she chirped, happy to see her old friends.

The other customers stared at the trio that walked in. Whispers got louder among excited patrons and some even raised their phones to take photos. Bucky and Sam just shamelessly posed for the people taking photos, while Natasha rolled her eyes and sat down on a bar stool.

“Haven’t seen you for a while,” Natasha said, smiling at her friend.

“Work is taking up a lot of time. Who thought running a cafe was so demanding!”

“Hey kid,” Bucky sat next to Natasha, Sam joined them on the other side of her.

“Hey old man, hi Sam.” Amber greeted them as she tossed the towel away. “So, what can I get you guys?”

“Bubble tea for me.” Bucky said, which earned him two sets of eyerolls from Sam and Natasha.

“I’ll have a cappuccino,” Natasha said.

“Surprise me,” Sam replied.

“Bubble tea, cappuccino and careful what you wish for coming right up!” Amber grinned at them.

“I feel like I should be scared.” Sam turned to the two sitting next to him.

“You asked for it.” Natasha shrugged.

“Definitely asked for it.” Bucky agreed.

“Have a little faith,” Amber returned with their drinks. She handed Bucky and Natasha their drinks and turned her attention to Sam. “So, mister Wilson, here we have a cold brew sour, our drink of the day.” She placed the glass in front of him.

“Yep, I’m doomed.” Sam said, nodding his head.

“You’ve been doomed for a while now,” Amber laughed as Sam shook his head. “So, here we have a spin off the classic whiskey sour. It has a tartness to it, which is balanced out by a smooth sweetness and a gentle coffee flavour.”

“That sounds delicious.” Bucky said as he sipped on his bubble tea.

“I made it, of course it’s delicious!” Amber huffed, grinning at him.

“Right, well, cheers.” Sam flexed his shoulders, like he was nervous of whatever Amber had put in the drink. He knew she wouldn’t harm him on purpose, especially not at her own workplace, but one can never be too sure around her. He took a carful sip and instantly his eyebrows shot up his forehead. “Wow, this really is delicious!” he exclaimed, a little louder than intended, but he couldn’t care less.

“Told ya.” Amber shrugged with a grin.

Ozzy’s song had long finished and another ballad had followed. Amber couldn’t remember the name of the band, so she settled for swaying to the melody while she talked to her friends and served other customers. It was a sunny day and people were out to enjoy it. These kind of days were her favorite in terms of turning profit. Sure, she was well set with her early retirement fund Stark had set her up with, but she liked working. Opening her own cafe was a childhood dream of hers, which she finally managed to turn into reality. Having been a SHIELD agent and later on working alongside the Avengers had its merits. Things were going well for her until she was critically injured during a mission, which put her indefinitely out of commission and she had to go into early retirement. 

“Say, when are you coming to the compound? Everyone misses you.” Natasha said.

“And I miss everyone as well.” Amber practically whined. “I’ll try to free up some time soon.”

“You say that every time.” Bucky interjected.

“True,” Sam nodded.

Amber sighed. “I promise to make some time soon.”

“You say that every time too.” Natasha said, a knowing look in her eyes. “You still have issues with him.”

“I..” Amber looked around. Too many clients for this conversation. “Listen, I probably will always have issues with him. I can’t forgive something like that easily, Nat.”

“It’s been a year.”

“Don’t care.”

“Did he ever apologize?” Bucky asked.

“Dude, since when does Loki apologize for anything?” Sam turned to look at him.

Natasha sighed. She has been trying to smooth things between Amber and Loki for a year now, ever since he decided to ignore strategic orders during their last mission together, which resulted in civilian deaths and Amber being critically injured. Which, in turn, resulted in her early retirement. She had resented him ever since. She was not one to hold grudges for long, especially if the other party admitted their wrongdoing or apologized. But she had received none from Loki, who had ignored her for a month after the incident and even after accidentally bumping into each other after said month, he acted like nothing had happened. Amber was extremely hurt by that notion. She thought them to be teammates and even friends. Hell, she thought they were even more than that. She could have forgiven him, especially since things could always go wrong during missions. Rhodey being a shining example of things accidentally going wrong. He was lucky Stark could fix him up with the braces and he was back on the field in no time. She had no such luck. Fourth degree burns on both her arms and abdomen, courtesy of Hydra and Loki’s impeccable timing in diverging from the plan. It was by sheer miracle she hadn’t died of the shock alone. The skin and tissues had healed with the help of Stark technologies and a couple of surgeries. She even got a nice photostatic veil to cover the scars, courtesy of Stark and a bit of SHIELD. What caused her to go into early retirement were the tremors in her arms, courtesy of the severe nerve damage due to the burns. She couldn’t use weapons anymore. Couldn’t fight. She had two choices offered to her: a job behind a desk at SHIELD or Stark Industries, or early retirement. She hated desk jobs with passion so she went for retirement, but she couldn’t sit still for long and ended up opening up the cafe.

Amber shrugged at the trio sitting a the bar. Sure, she missed being at the compound and seeing her friends and teammates. They came to visit her at the cafe from time to time. Sometimes gave her a run-down on interesting missions, mainly ones they wished she would be with them where they would probably had an easier time getting it done with her on the team than not. Steve would complain about Sam and Bucky ganging up on him. Clint would bring his family sometimes. She definitely missed the days she went on missions. Adrenaline rushing through her veins as she took down Hydra agents or when she would save civilians from some nasty hostage situation. Even just strategizing gave her an adrenaline boost. But those days were behind her.

“What if you come over when he’s not there, then? He’s got a trip to New Asgard soon.” Bucky said, turning to Natasha for confirmation.

“True. I think it’s scheduled for next Tuesday and he’ll be away for a few days.” Natasha confirmed.

Amber contemplated the offer. It was tempting. She would be seeing everyone at once. “Okay.” She finally said with a nod. “I think that’s doable.” She grinned.

“Finally!” Sam’s excited voice boomed through the cafe, raising his arms in praise, which earned him a few looks from the customers. Amber giggled at his enthusiasm.

“Now that it’s settled, how about Wednesday?” Natasha asked, grinning.

“Got plans on Wednesday. How’s Thursday?” Amber suggested. “I’ll bring the drinks.”

“Hook me up with some more of this and I’ll personally come pick you up.” Sam raised his glass before he finished drinking it.

“Sure, I’ll make some. But you don’t have to pick me up.” Amber grabbed a notepad and scribbled down a couple of non-alcoholic drink names and added cold brew sour to the list. Bucky noticed the slight shake in her hand.

The mood had lightened up significantly once it was established that Amber would finally set foot back into the Avengers compound again. The song on the radio was quieting down, indicating its end and the start of a new one. She squeaked as the first notes of Puzzle Pieces by Saint Motel started playing, earning her raised eyebrows from her friends.

“What, I love that song!” she said as she danced her way around the bar and pulled Bucky off his seat. “Come on, old man, join me.” She held his hand over her head and twirled then pulled him to the middle of the cafe where a small open space allowed them (and occasionally her customers) to dance.

Bucky just stood there, feeling awkward as Amber danced around him. He couldn’t help but smile as she held his hands and used him as a dancing partner.

“I think this is our queue to leave.” Sam said, standing up.

“Yeah, I still need to go check up on Clint.” Natasha replied, getting up as well.

“Hey Buck, we’ll see you later, okay?” Sam called as he walked alongside Natasha towards the exit.

“See you guys next week!” Amber said, waving at them as she kept dancing. A few other customers joined the make-shift dance floor as well and soon the place was booming with energetic atmosphere.

The song finished and was followed by the next one. With the first note of an acoustic guitar, Amber yelped in excitement. “I love this song!” She then took Bucky’s metal hand in hers and placed her other arm around his shoulder, prompting him to put his own arm around her waist for a slow dance.

_“To really love a woman_   
_To understand her you gotta know her deep inside_   
_Hear every thought, see every dream_   
_And give her wings when she wants to fly_   
_Then when you find yourself lyin’ helpless in her arms_   
_You know ya really love a woman”_

Amber started singing along softly as they danced. Bucky looking at her with a warm smile gracing his face. It was unfortunate that Amber didn’t stay at the compound with the rest of them anymore. He missed having her around. Missed their late night talks, the pranks they pulled on each other and on the rest of their teammates. 

As the song neared its end, Amber had her cheek resting against his chest, arms around his neck and his were around her waist. He could feel her arms shaking, which made him worry.

“Hey kid, you feeling tired or something?”

She nodded against his chest. “Been a long day.”

Without any more words, Bucky unwrapped his arms from her waist, which signalled for her to let go of him and take a step back. They smiled at each other as he took her hand and motioned her towards one of the tables. They sat down across from each other, Amber leaning back in her seat. “That was nice.” She said, wrapping her arms around herself to keep her arms from shaking too much.

“It was,” Bucky smiled. “I really miss having you around.”

“I miss you too, Bucky. But you know I can’t go back there.”

“I know, and I wish there was something I could do about it.”

“It’s too late for that.” She waved a shaky hand in dismissal. “Besides, you can always come visit me.”  
  
“I do, but still.” He reached with his hand across the table, palm up. She leaned forward and placed her own, shaky one over his, holding his hand while kept her other arm still wrapped around her waist. “Is there anything at all to be done at this point? Anything I can do?”

She smiled at him and shook her head. “The scars are too deep to forgive and forget. Literally.”

He nodded, running his thumb over her knuckles. He has seen first hand the extent of her scars over her arms and abdomen. It was not a sight for the faint at heart. Amber’s strong will was the only thing that kept her from going insane from the sight of it. Though he knew she was hiding the deeply rooted emotional scars related to it. He could sympathise with that as he had experienced the same at some point in his life. His consolation being gifted the metal arm which functioned as good as and even better than his normal arm. All Amber had gotten was a photostatic veil made of nano technology. It covered, but didn’t replace.

“I feel like going home. Join me?” she said, standing up.

“Sure.” He stood up as well.

“Let me grab my stuff and tell Michelle to close up later.”

With that, she went behind the bar and instructed her only employee about closing. The teenager grinning widely at the idea of closing early if there were no more customers coming in. Then she went to the back, took off her apron and hung it at the wall. She put on her blazer, grabbed her backpack, keys and phone as she walked back into the cafe towards Bucky. “Ready?”

“After you.” He motioned towards the exit and they walked out, heading towards her car.

The ride home was unspectacular. She lived 15 minute ride away from the cafe, at an apartment complex in a secluded area of the city. She liked the calm neighbourhood and the friendliness of her neighbours. The doors to the underground garage opened and she drove in, parking at her designated spot and got out, Bucky following suit.

A short elevator ride and a couple of quick hello’s to passing neighbours later, they stood at the door of her apartment. Amber was used to working around the tremors of her arms, but putting the door key into the keyhole was always irritating to say the least. It felt like she was looking for it in complete darkness. She groaned as poked her tongue out in concentration. Bucky didn’t say or do anything. He learned his lesson the hard way a few months back when he suggested to help her with it and she simply lashed out at him. He did not want a repeat of that ever again. Amber was scary when she was pissed, just as he was. No wonder she, Loki and him were a good match as a team. In the right circumstances, the three of them exuberated terror. He smirked absentmindedly at the thought. The good old days.

Key finally in, Amber mumbled a curse at the door under her nose and opened the door, walking in and making way for Bucky to follow. He closed the door and took off his jacket, hanging it at the hanger nearby. Amber did the same with her blazer and kicked her shoes off, putting on slippers. Sighing in relief for her aching toes. 

“You’re making the goat face again.” Bucky grinned at her. She probably shouldn’t have shown him the meme with the satisfied goat a couple of years back.

“I regret nothing.” She grinned back. “Come, you haven’t been here for a while. I changed stuff.”

“Don’t tell me you painted the walls again.” He walked towards the living room. He had only been away for a month because of an Avengers mission. Apparently that was long enough time for her to change stuff yet again in her apartment. Amber grabbed her backpack from where she had dropped it on the floor earlier and followed.

“Nah, didn’t feel like a drastic change this time.” She quipped.

“A new couch and..” he turned to the side, “a new TV? I think you and I understand ‘drastic’ differently, kid.” He chuckled and went to sit down on the couch. “Hm.. comfy. I like.”

“I’m glad you do, old man.” She grinned, dropping her backpack next to the couch. “So, feel like food?”

“Depends.”

“I’m cooking.”

“I’m famished.” He gave her a shit eating smile and she laughed.

“Alright. The remote is the white one on the table. I’ll go see how I will poison you today.” She winked at him and went to the kitchen.

“Don’t poison me too much!” he called after her, “I’m not married yet!”

He shook his head with a grin on his face as he heard her give an evil cackle loudly from the kitchen.

A few minutes later she came back pushing a small food trolley with a bowl of chips and some drinks on top.

“That’s new.” He gestured at the trolley.

“After breaking 5 bowls, 6 glasses and having hot sauce spill all over me, decided this was the safest way. I really hate cleaning glass for weeks off that carpet.” She wrinkled her nose as she pointed at the fluffy carpet in front of the couch.

“Smart.” He nodded, leaning forward and grabbing a glass of coke.

“I know.” She handed him the bowl of chips and then grabbed her own glass. She pushed the trolley out of the way and went to sit next to him, sighing in relief to finally sit down and get some well deserved rest. No matter how exhausted she felt, if it was dinner time she’d prepare that first before sitting down. People thought it weird, but that was her way of doing things. “So what are we watching?” she asked.

“No clue. Here.” He handed her the remote.

She flipped through the channels and decided there was nothing interesting at that time of the day, so she left it on Discovery Science. Documentaries always served as a useful background noise.

“So what are we having?” Bucky asked, grabbing a handful of chips and passing the bowl to Amber.

“Got potato wedges in the oven for an Italian potato wedge nachos.”

“That sounds tasty.”

“I’m cooking, of course it is!” she nudged his elbow with hers, grinning.

“I had no doubt, kid.” He ruffled her hair and pulled her into a one arm side hug. She leaned into him and placed the bowl of chips on his thigh.

“Remember the day I almost decapitated you when we first met?” she raised her chin sideways to look at him.

“How could I forget?” he chuckled. “That was an epic fight we had and I still have the scar to prove it.”

“That it was. And I’m still sorry about that.” She tapped his knee, knowing that the scar she left him on his neck was barely visible and he had told her several times in the past that it’s nothing compared to all other scars he has accumulated over the years and he didn’t hold any grudges against her for it. She then looked down to her hands. “You think.. I’ll ever..”

“I do.” He responded immediately, knowing exactly what she was talking about. She wanted back on the field, despite choosing retirement. It’s what she loved to do most, next to running a cafe, that is.

“But today is not the day.” She sighed and got up. “Today I make dinner.” She smiled at him and went to the kitchen.

The potatoes were almost done, so she took the chicken breasts out of the fridge and put them on the counter. Then grabbed a pan out of one of the cupboards and put it on the stove. She seasoned the chicken breasts with Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper. Then added a tablespoon of olive oil to the pan and carefully placed the meat onto it. Once both sides were cooked, she turned off the head and grabbed an oven mitten and took the tray out and placed it on the counter over a heat resistant mat. She pushed the potatoes to the middle of the baking sheet. She then chopped the chicken breasts and added them on top of the potatoes, adding Italian five-cheese blend on top and putting the tray back into the oven. She set the timer to four minutes and grabbed some cherry tomatoes, olive oil, balsamic vinegar, salt and pepper. She cut the tomatoes in half and wrinkled her nose like she was forgetting something. Realizing it was garlic, she grabbed a garlic head and picked out a couple of cloves.

“Hey Buck, come over here a second?” she called before she cut the garlic.

“Yeah?” he walked in, empty glass in hand.

“Are you going to kiss me tonight?” she looked at him seriously.

“Eww, kid, no!” he wrinkled his face at the idea.

“Good, I’m adding garlic.” She grinned and grabbed a knife to skin the garlic.

“You sure have a weird way of asking if one wants garlic or not.” He chuckled as he helped himself to some more coke from the fridge. “The answer is always yes.”

“To garlic or kissing me?” she replied, not skipping a beat, her grin still in place.

“To both.” He grinned back and walked to her, grabbing her head with one hand from the side and placing a kiss on her temple.

Amber chuckled and continued working on the garlic. Skinning them and then chopping them into thin slices, mixing them with the cherry tomatoes and adding the seasoning. By the time she was done with that, the alarm went off indicating the potatoes were done. She turned off the oven and took out the tray and placed it on the heat resistant mat again. She took two plates out of the cupboard and placed them on the counter, near the oven tray, grabbed a spatula and divided the meat and potatoes onto both plates. Then she added the tomato mix and some basil on top and turned around only to see Bucky setting his glass on the counter and coming to help.

“You grab us some knives and forks. I got those.” He said, picking up the plates and taking them to the dining table in the living room.

“Thanks,” she smiled and grabbed the needed utensils and joined him.

They ate, they talked, teased each other like they have always done. After they were done with eating, Bucky volunteered to do the dishes and Amber got to be lazy on the couch. After he finished the dishes, he dried them and put them where they belonged. Grabbed a couple of non-alcoholic beer from the fridge and joined her on the couch.

“That was delicious.” He said, handing her a bottle and sitting next to her.

“Thanks,” she replied, smiling as she took the bottle. “To good food,” she raised it and he clinked his bottle against hers.

“Hear, hear!” he took a large swig and grimaced at the lack of alcohol. “This really tastes like a bad soda.”

“It tastes awesome, you’re just an uncultured swine.” She kicked her slippers off and folded her legs underneath her as she took a sip of hers.

“This uncultured swine likes his drinks cultured, thank you very much.”

Amber laughed at that. “You know that’s not.. you know what, forget it.” She put her bottle on the coffee table. “Next time I do grocery I’ll get some actual beer just for you.”

“That’d be great.” Bucky grinned.

“Feel like a movie?” Amber reached for the remote.

Bucky looked at his watch and nodded, “yeah, sure. We haven’t done that in a while. Got popcorn?”

“Bottom cupboard next to the fridge.” She said, looking at the TV as she scrolled through the on-demand list of movies. 

Bucky went to the kitchen and prepared the popcorn, he was back after a few minutes with big bowl full to the brim.

“Any preference on titles?” Amber asked, looking sheepishly at him.

Bucky rolled his eyes as he sat back down next to her. “Go ahead, put a rom com on.”

“Yay!” she squeaked and pressed the play button on ‘Friends with Benefits’.

Bucky groaned as he sunk into the couch, popping popcorn into his mouth. Amber just laughed.

She knew he secretly enjoyed romantic comedies. He made her promise a while back not to tell Cap or (and especially) Sam about it. She agreed on the terms that he owed her something to be requested at a later time and he would not be allowed to say no, no matter what it was. He immediately agreed to it. No matter what she would ask him, it wouldn’t be as bad as Sam getting a hint of him liking romantic comedies. He wouldn’t hear the end of it for the rest of his life, and he had plenty of that.

“You’re a fucking former agent of SHIELD and a former Avenger, and yet you enjoy this.” He waved a hand at the TV.

“Pot calling the kettle black.” She snickered.

“I don’t watch them on a daily basis!”

“I don’t either.” She took a handful of popcorn and practically stuffed her face.

“Right.” He smirked, knowing that was bullshit. She had even made Loki, of all people, watch those in the past. “Next time I choose the movie.”

“Mhmm..” she said, eyes fixed on the TV, knowing that he stood no chance.

Bucky shook his head as he took a swig of his non-alcoholic beer. They should really ban these. He put the bottle on a side table and helped himself to some popcorn to change the taste in his mouth.

As the credits rolled, he put the now empty bowl on the coffee table and turned to the side. Amber had fallen asleep on the couch, curled up in a fetal position. He smiled at the view and got up, taking the empty bowl and bottles to the kitchen and then returning to the living room. He knelt next to Amber and gently shook her shoulder. “Hey kid, let’s get you to bed. Your neck will thank you for it.” He whispered, trying not to startle her. Amber just mumbled incoherency and buried her face onto the couch, but didn’t wake up. “Okay, you workaholic idiot.” He whispered with a warm smile and put an arm around her shoulders and the other under her knees and picked her up. He took her to the bedroom and as soon as he put her on the bed, she turned to her side and assumed the fetal position again. Bucky chuckled at that and carefully pulled the covers from underneath her and then put it over her, tucking her in. He then went back to the living room, looked around for a notepad and when he couldn’t find any he went to the kitchen and grabbed the shopping list pad off the fridge. Scribbled a note for her, thanking her for dinner and the movie and that he’ll call her tomorrow to check in. He ripped the page off the pad and placed it in front of the coffee machine, knowing she wouldn’t miss it when she woke up. Her caffeine addiction rivalled that of Tony Stark.


	2. Chapter 2

Bucky walked through the doors leading into the communal area of the compound. He needed a drink before he could retreat to his room. Once inside, he noticed Loki sitting in a corner with a book in his hand, reading.

“Hey,” he greeted and went to the kitchen area to get a drink.

Loki looked up from his book the moment Bucky returned from the kitchen, a bottle of beer in his hand. “How is she?”

“Hurt.” Came Bucky’s reply.

The answer was the same every time Loki asked the question. Hurt. Never any other word to describe her. Hurt. 

Loki nodded and resumed to reading the book in his hand. Bucky sat down on the couch, taking a swig of his beer.

Loki closed the book and set it aside, turned to look at Bucky. The Winter Soldier was leaning back, metal arm parched at the back of the couch, the other resting beside him holding the bottle of beer. He was looking ahead, into nothing. He was brooding again, Loki noticed. Over the years of working together, Loki has learned quite a bit about the soldier. How he ticks, what irritates him, what brings him down, what makes him happy, when he’s about to snap or when he’s about to unleash his rage. Right now Bucky showed concern. While others couldn’t read him, he was an open book to the Asgardian.

“What troubles you?” Loki asked, leaning forward and resting his elbows over his thighs.

“Hmm..?” Bucky turns to him absentmindedly.

“What troubles you?” Loki repeated.

Bucky turns his gaze back to where it was earlier. “Amber.” He takes another sip of his beer.

Loki clenches his jaw but doesn’t say anything, waiting for Bucky to continue.

“I don’t know man.” Bucky sighs, drinking again and putting the half empty bottle on the coffee table. He turns to face Loki. “It’s probably not my place to discuss this, and she would probably have my head for doing so, but I worry for her. She’s not getting any better. I mean, she’s not getting any worse, thankfully, but she’s not getting any better and it’s been a year since her injury.”

Loki could see the genuine concern in his teammate’s eyes. He fights hard against the sting he feels in his heart. “Why do you think so?”

Bucky sighs again and looks down onto his lap. “Because..” he really shouldn’t be discussing this. “Let’s talk about this another time, okay? I’m tired.” He stood up to leave, but Loki was fast to get up and grab his arm.

“Barnes, what are you not telling me?”

Bucky looked at the hand grabbing his arm and then to Loki. “Let go of me.” He hissed, but Loki didn’t move. “Loki, I swear to God..”

“What are you not telling me?” Loki hissed back, taking a bold step closer, still not letting go of Bucky’s arm.

Bucky put his metal hand over Loki’s and pulled it off his arm with force. “No.” He stood facing Loki, lifting a metal finger a him. “You don’t fucking get to ask me that. I do not owe you any explanation. Don’t think for a second I have forgiven you for what you did to her. A year, Loki. A whole year! The nerve damage should have been stabilized by now, but it’s not! She can’t do anything without exhausting herself!” he looked at Loki straight in the eyes. “And it’s all your fault!” he yelled.

Loki clenched his jaws again to stop himself from saying anything he might regret later and simply kept looking at the man before him, his face void of emotions.

Bucky huffed as he took a step back and turned around, stepping away from Loki and running his hands through his hair. “It’s all your fault.” His voice was almost a whisper.

Loki looked at the back of his teammate. Yes, it was. His divergence from the plan that day had saved civilians, but at a very high cost. Loki dropped his gaze to the floor. “It is.” He mumbled, almost whispering.

“What?” Bucky turned to look at him.

“I said it is.” Loki sighed, sitting down on the couch, leaning his elbows over his knees and covering his face with his palms. 

“Only took you a year to admit it.” Bucky huffed, taking seat on an armchair across from Loki.

Loki let his hands drop and stared at Bucky. He wanted to respond, but came with nothing. It had taken him this long to admit it loudly. He had been berating himself internally since the day it happened and never stopped. He only hadn’t admitted it out loud, let alone to anyone else. “I screwed up, Barnes. I royally screwed up.” He leaned back onto the couch and held his head with both hands, eyes staring at the ceiling. “I let a miscalculated judgment call ruin the life of someone I hold most dear.” He closed his eyes.

Bucky ran a hand over his beard stubble, contemplating Loki’s confession. Though the God of Mischief and Lies, Loki showed remorse in this moment. Bucky couldn’t tell if it was sincere, though. Every time he thought he had the Asgardian figured out, Loki would do something to send him back to square one. The guy was as unpredictable as they come. At the same time, something was off. Loki was never one to admit to things, especially if said thing was about him screwing up. He tilted his head as he studied Loki’s face. The God was now back leaning his elbows over his knees, shoulders tense and face down staring onto the floor. An eyebrow raised in realization and Bucky leaned forward. “Loki?” 

Loki raised his face to look at his teammate, jaws clenching tightly and eyebrows knitted in frustration.

“You have feelings for her.” Bucky concluded, huffing in surprise. Loki didn’t say anything and kept looking at him. Bucky raised both eyebrows and stood up instantly. “Shit, you do!” he exclaimed.

Loki didn’t respond and simply looked away. He was tempted to throw a tantrum and accuse Bucky of being drunk or some other petty accusation, but he decided against it. Not this time. Not when it came to Amber, and especially because Bucky was like an older brother to her. He wanted to be honest, though it felt foreign to him.

“Holy fucking shit.” Bucky started pacing, running his hands through his hair. “Holy crap. This is big. I mean, I knew there was something back then, but it had no name. This is.. shit. Man you fucked up big time.” He stopped babbling and turned to Loki. “Big.fucking.time.” he raised both hands to emphasise his words and let them drop to his sides.

Loki stood up and walked towards one of the windows at the side of the room. He crossed his arms as he stared onto the dark sky. Sighing, he looked over his shoulder for a moment, “not a word to anyone, please. Not even her.” He turned his gaze back to the window. “Especially not her.” He whispered.

“You should know by now that’s not my style.” Bucky came to stand next to him, shoulders almost touching. “Have you ever told her?” Loki shook his head. “Will you ever?”

“I don’t know.” Came the whispered answer.

“You never talked about what happened that day.”

“I gave my statement during the debriefing that followed.”

“Yes, the official statement meant for Fury and his gang. What happened, really?” Bucky turned to face Loki.

Loki sighed, jaws clenching again at the painful memory of the incident. He knew Bucky was intuitive. The only surprise was that he hadn’t asked about it all this time. Why now? Why all of a sudden? Loki turned to look at the man beside him and dropping his gaze to the ground as he spoke. “I guess there’s no point in keeping it to myself anymore.” He muttered, then looked up at Bucky again. “Promise me on what you hold most dear that none of this will leave this room.”

“Why?” Bucky crossed his arms defensively.

“Because I’m asking you to,” Loki’s face softened, “as a friend and comrade.”

Upon seeing the look on Loki’s face, Bucky dropped his arms to his side. He couldn’t help the gut feeling he suddenly had. This was either going to be bad, or really bad. Bucky didn’t like this at all. Though he wanted to know the truth behind what caused his friend to be injured beyond repair.

“Alright,” he sighed and ran a hand through his hair, thinking this over for a moment. He found an opening in Loki’s request and bit down on his lips to prevent himself from smirking. “Alright, I promise it won’t leave this room.” He nodded.

“Thank you.” Loki said and turned to sit on the windowsill. “So, you remember the plan. Get in, Amber disables enemy communication, I dismantle the electronics so Amber can get further inside to get to the hostages and you keep enemy out of our way.” When Bucky nodded, Loki continued. “What we didn’t know at the time that the building magically warded.”

“Warded? Against what?”

“Me, apparently.” Loki leaned forward and held his head between his palms. “By the time I realized it, I had unknowingly already activated the spell and it sent off a series of reactions starting what I had at first thought was a mild EMP. I had to act fast because I couldn’t reach any of you through the communicator anymore. I had to reach her before the chain reaction could reach her and the hostages. My magic was momentarily bound because of the spell I thought to be an EMP and the building was set to collapse on itself and bury anything and everything within. I couldn’t let that happen. I just couldn’t. But I was too late and the explosions had reached her the moment she opened the door leading to the hostages.”

“You were supposed to dismantle and then join Amber. Instead you went around poking at some magic shit. Why?” There was no accusation in Bucky’s tone, though Loki perceived it as such.

“The dismantling was going too slow for my liking and I decided to use magic to speed it up.” Loki finally looked up at Bucky. “My magic collapsed against the wards and it backfired.”

Bucky put his palm over his forehead as a headache was threatening to form. “Loki, you were specifically instructed not to use magic!” He hissed at the God. “Fury specifically told you not to use magic.”

“He gave me no reason why I shouldn’t have.” Loki stood up. “All these years working alongside the Avengers and he still doesn’t trust me enough to give me an explanation when I request one.” His voice was getting louder as his irritation rose.

Bucky raised his arms in irritation. “You deviate from the plan because Fury didn’t explain an order? Are you shitting me right now? You almost killed Amber!” Bucky’s voice was also rising.

“Don’t I know it?!” Loki yelled, taking a step back as his body started shaking in anger. “I know!” he said in a lower tone, not wanting to alert the others in the building. “I ruined everything.” Loki started pacing as he tugged at his hair with both hands. “A momentary, miscalculated, malicious decision almost cost me her life!” he hissed, his back turned to Bucky.

Bucky’s shoulders dropped. He heard the regret and anger in Loki’s voice. It would do them no good if he pressed on the matter any further. “Why did you disappear after the debriefing?”

Loki dropped his hands and turned to face Bucky. His eyes red as he fought back the tears. “I needed to restore my magic before I sought revenge on whomever had placed those atrocious wards. I couldn’t do that from here, so I went to the Sanctum Sanctorum. The wizard.. Doctor Strange assisted me in the restoration. It was a tedious procedure and it took him and several of his associates in combination with my knowledge to break the invisible shackles placed upon me. That’s when I returned.”

“And you couldn’t have at least told me.” It was a statement instead of a question.

“No. I couldn’t.” Loki sighed, eyes downcast. “I couldn’t risk endangering you as well.”

Bucky stepped closer to Loki and stood before him, placing both hands over Loki’s shoulders. “You know I could take care of myself, Loki.”

Loki raised his eyes to meet Bucky’s. “Not with these people, you couldn’t.”

“Who were they?”

“I’m not quite sure yet. Hydra was cooperating with them at the time, but I have yet to find a lead on who or what it is.”

“Is, as in you’re still searching.” Bucky dropped his hands off Loki’s shoulders and straightened up. “I want in on the search.”

“No, Barnes. I can’t let you risk your life.”

“Who said anything about letting me?” Bucky grinned. “The time of searching for a lead all on your own has long passed, my friend. Let’s just say you have officially lost that privilege a moment ago. I’m helping you whether you like it or not. If not for your sake, then for Amber’s.”

Loki smiled at the soldier’s resolve. “I don’t want to lose the only true friend I have left on this realm.”

“First of all, I’m not your only friend. You have a whole team to back you up. Secondly, I’m too stubborn to be lost.” He nudged at Loki’s shoulder with a fist, then moved towards the bar. “Need a drink?”

“Sure.”

Bucky grabbed a bottle of vodka and two shot glasses off the bar and came back to the couch where Loki joined him. He placed the glasses on the coffee table and filled them, sitting down next to Loki and handing him a glass. “To friendship and revenge.” He said, raising his glass. Loki raised his glass silently, nodding his head in agreement to the toast and downed the burning liquid in one swift gulp.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Amber immersed herself in putting together a variety of drinks. She was going to the Avengers compound today. While she was the only one of the group who didn’t drink alcohol due to some of the medication she was using, she tried to incorporate a couple of recipes that included alcohol in the mix. Nothing that would get a person drunk, but enough to give a drink that special taste that the virgin kind otherwise lacked. She put a couple of boxes full of the needed ingredients aside and went through the list. Once pleased with the selection, she sent a text to Natasha asking if it was okay for her to come a few minutes earlier than planned. Then she would have time to set up and mix the drinks before everyone got there.

She got the confirmation from Natasha almost instantly. Natasha had also informed her that since a couple of days the compound was alien-free. Amber let out a relieved sigh at that, knowing whom Natasha had meant with the word alien.

Amber was excited to see her friends again. Too excited, one could say. Though nervous at the same time, which showed in her arms trembling a bit as she picked up an empty bottle of syrup off the bar for a refill.

Michelle was serving a client at the bar when she noticed the slight tremble in Amber’s hand that held the bottle. After handing the client his coffee, she went over to Amber and took the bottle from her.

“I got this. You check if you have all needed ingredients.” The teenager said with a smirk and went to the back to refill the bottle.

Amber was thankful for the unspoken understanding Michelle granted her. She wondered where the girl had gotten that trait from. Michelle wasn’t talkative, but she was incredibly intuitive.

The teenager came back and placed the bottle next to the other syrups. She grabbed a towel and started drying some of the glasses that she had washed earlier.

“Thanks,” Amber said, picking up her list and going through it one more time. One can never be too careful. Though she knew if she had forgotten anything, Tony would supply it in a heartbeat.

“Sure.” Came Michelle’s reply.

“Say, will you be alright taking over for the day?”

“Yeah, I called in for help.”

“Did you, now?” Amber raised an eyebrow, amusement shown on her face.

Michelle nodded. “Two idiots whom I happen to call friends.” She smiled as she looked at Amber. “You don’t even have to pay them.”

“Well, that’s a relief.” Amber giggled and had an idea. “But I would love to. If Peter and Ned are any good, then we would both have a couple of idiots to call upon whenever we need the extra help.”

“That’s pretty smart, boss. Have them a phone call away but not on a fixed payroll. I like.” The teenager nodded, approvingly.

“Eh, I have my moments.” Amber shrugged, grinning.

About an hour later the doorbell chimed as two teenagers walked in, dragging their feet along the floor as they nervously approached the bar. 

“’sup, idiots.” Michelle greeted from behind the bar as the two took seats at it.

“Hey MJ.” Peter said, a giant grin on his face.

“Dude, this place is neat!” Ned was admiring the interior.

“You say that every time you come here.” Michelle pointed out.

“You guys changed something. I don’t know what, yet, but something has changed.” Ned replied as he turned his stool around to have a better look at the surroundings.

“New lights.” Amber said, emerging from the back to join the trio. “Hey guys.”

“Hi, miss Bishop!” the boys exclaimed simultaneously.

“Thanks for helping out today. Peter you sure you want to be here today instead of the compound?” she smiled as she placed two long glasses on the bar and started mixing a cocktail.

“Yeah, I mean, I see everyone almost every day and I get to see you whenever I come here. So it’s cool.” Peter grinned.

“Alright,” Amber nodded and handed a shaker to Michelle who shook it and handed it back. Amber mumbled a thanks and poured the content in the two glasses which were full of ice cubes. She put straws in both, garnished with an umbrella and placed them in front of the boys. “On the house. Email me your Paypal addresses later. Michelle is in charge today, so you better do as she says. Literally.” She glared at the two boys who blinked in confusion at the serious look she gave them, but then she grinned again and they both let out a relieved sigh. The two were so easy to confuse it was hilarious to her. “I gotta go now before Bucky starts assuming I chickened out. You boys wanna help me with the boxes?”

“Sure!” Peter said as he and Ned got off the seats and followed her to the back. Once the boxes were set in her car, she waved them goodbye and drove towards the compound, her heart beating more frantically than it should.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the comments on the previous chapter!

The compound was bustling with preparations. The living area had been opened towards the terrace, giving them the option to either indoors or outdoors mingling. A BBQ station was set up outside with Clint at BBQ duty, because he was a dad and dads get BBQ duty by default, according to Tony.

Bruce, Wanda and Vision were tasked with kitchen duty. Sam and Bucky were supposed to stay out of trouble and Steve was to make sure they did. Tony was in his lab, as always, while Pepper and Natasha were going through some last minute paperwork that couldn’t wait. Rhodey was flying in from DC, so he was to join them a bit later.

Amber pulled up at the entrance to the compound and sent a text to Bucky to come and help with the boxes. She got out of the car the moment Bucky, Sam and Steve came out to greet her. Bucky practically ran to her, picking her up in a bear hug.

“Finally!” he said as he put her down, grinning.

“We just saw each other two days ago.” Amber laughed.

“This is different.” Steve said as he hugged her as well. “Good to see you here again.”

“Got my drinks?” Sam grinned, stepping closer as well and giving her a hug.

“What do you take me for, of course!” She replied, grinning. “It’s good to be here.” She looked at Steve, smiling.

“Gimme the keys and go inside. Everyone is in the living area.” Bucky said, extending his hand, palm up for the car keys.

“Don’t scratch it.” Amber hands the keys over and Bucky ruffles her hair before going to the trunk to get the boxes. Steve and Sam join him.

Amber walked through the glass doors and into the large foyer heading towards the living area. She hadn’t been here for a whole year and the place hadn’t changed at all. At the entrance to the living area she was greeted by Natasha and Pepper, who had finished what they were doing and came to help out in the kitchen. Everyone was delighted to see her, as was she. After greetings, welcomes and hugs, Pepper showed her where the drinks station was set up, conveniently next to the BBQ station where Clint was already lighting up the grill.

“Well, look who decided to show up!” Clint put aside the bag of coal and gave Amber a hug. “Good to see you again, Bishop.”

“You too, Clint.” Amber smiled, returning the hug. “Haven’t seen you for a while!”

“Yeah, was on a mission. You know how it is.” He shrugged and Amber nodded.

“I’m glad you made it back in time for today.” She grinned.

“Me too, kid.” He mirrored the grin and went back to grab the bag of coal. “I hope you brought my favorite!” he said.

“Cuba Libre.” She grinned as Clint blew her a kiss. The bar at the compound had all ingredients needed to make cocktails, only Clint liked it the way Amber mixed them. So he was happy whenever she would mix him something with alcohol whenever he was at the cafe late in the evenings. She would make it in the back and bring it to the front, since the cafe was strictly alcohol-free service.

Bucky, Sam and Steve soon joined them with the crates and boxes out of Amber’s car. She instructed them where to place each and then she started arranging the bottles on the table designated for them. Pepper and Wanda soon came with glasses and placed them near the bottles. There was a coffee maker on the side, a water boiler for tea and a bucket of ice, so she didn’t need to go back and forth to the kitchen every time.

She first mixed a Cuba Libre for Clint, who happily accepted it. Then Sam’s cold brew sour, promising him a whiskey sour later. Sam took his drink and announced that everyone should have a taste of it, but not out of his glass, when Bucky jokingly reached for it. That was his alone.

Bucky joined Amber behind her table to assist her with the cocktail shaker, saying that he wants to have something to do instead of “stay out of trouble” Natasha had bestowed upon him. Amber knew what he was doing and why he was doing it, and was grateful for it. 

“Where’s Tony?” Amber turned to Bucky, who was attempting to turn the shaker on one hand like a barista and almost dropped it instead.

“Where do you think?” Bucky chuckled. “The lab, of course.”

Amber shook her head. “I’ll go get him, then. Don’t screw up the drink.”

“Can’t promise anything.” Bucky grinned as he emptied the contents of the shaker in a long glass and put a straw in it. 

Amber went inside, through the double doors into the foyer and took a left turn towards the elevators. As if on queue, the elevator doors opened the moment she got there and she stepped in.

“Welcome back, miss Bishop.” Came FRIDAY’s calm voice.

“Thank you, FRIDAY. I’m heading to Tony’s lab.”

The elevator doors closed and Amber felt the gentle pull as it moved upwards towards the lab. With a soft ‘ding’ the doors opened again and she stepped out into the lab. Tony was sitting behind several holographic screens, swiping left and right as he dismissed some windows and opened new ones. 

“Don’t think too much otherwise you’ll hurt your brain.” She said, announcing herself.

“Too late, I think I’m already hallucinating. Is that Amber Bishop I see?” he grinned, closing down all screens. He stood up and walked over to her, pulling her in a tight hug. “Missed you, kid.”

“Missed you too, Tony.” She hugged him back. “You could come more often to the cafe like the others, you know.” She pulled back from the hug so she could look at him, but didn’t quite let go.

“Or you could come visit, or maybe stay.” He gave her a knowing look.

“You know I can’t do that.” She gave him an apologetic smile, hoping that her facial expression would be enough for him to drop the subject. It seemed to work.

“Just let me know whenever and I’ll make sure all concerned parties would be evacuated.” He gave her his signature million dollar grin.

“Thanks,” she laughed. “Let’s just go enjoy today. I brought drinks.”

“My kinda girl!” he exclaimed and wrapped an arm around her shoulder as they walked out of the lab and went to join the others.

“How’s the veil doing, by the way.” Tony asked her once they were in the elevator.

“No complaints so far. Too bad it doesn’t prevent the shaking.” She raised her hand, which was lightly shaking. “This is the default setting.” She chuckled. “A tiny bit of exertion and it’s shaking like a leaf in a storm.” She shrugged, dropping her hand to her side.

“I’m working on it, kid.” He tapped her shoulder in reassurance. The elevator reached the ground floor and they stepped out.

“I know, and you don’t have to.”

“I want to.”

“I really don’t deserve you. None of you.” She whispered as cast her eyes at the others once they walked into the living area.

Tony pulled her in a hug and brought his lips to her ear. “Don’t ever let me hear you say that again. You’re family.” He whispered and kissed her cheek before letting go of her. Both grinned at each other and Amber nodded in agreement. They were all, indeed, her family.

“FRIDAY, some House music please. Volume at 30%” he said and stepped out on the terrace.

“Sure, boss.” FRIDAY replied as the music started.

“How did you get him out of the lab in less than 15 minutes while we’ve been trying all day?” Pepper asked.

“I’m special!” Amber grinned, grabbing a couple of bottles and mixing a drink for Tony. Pepper laughed at that and went to join her fiancé.

Soon the food was ready. Everyone was mingling. Clint telling dad jokes while flipping the burgers on the grill. Vision and Wanda sitting next to each other and conversing in whispers. Sam and Steve sampling appetizers. Rhodey had arrived not long ago and joined in on the sampling. Natasha and Pepper were talking with Tony while waiting for a new batch of drinks. Amber was mixing drinks with Bucky at her side, laughing at something Bucky said. For once in a whole year, Amber felt at peace.

An invisible ripple shone from a corner of the compound, watching the group gathered together. His gaze focused on the young woman serving drinks and laughing at something her best friend said. Loki’s heart ached as he stepped away and teleported back to New Asgard.

Bucky’s eye caught a ripple at the far corner of the building. He let out a silent sigh as his thoughts went back to the night when Loki told him what happened. He handed the shaker back to Amber and excused himself. He went inside and took his phone out to send a message.

_‘I saw you.’_

_‘???’_

_‘Don’t bullshit me. You were invisible. I saw you.’_

_‘*sigh* yes, I was there.’_

Bucky sighed. If he had noticed it, anyone could have noticed it as well. He hoped Amber was not among those. He didn’t want her mood to be ruined. He looked towards the terrace, she was making small talk with Clint and teasing him about something. He smiled fondly at them and turned to his phone to send another message.

_‘Today is good for her.’_

No reply came, so Bucky pocketed his phone and went back to the group. Grabbing some food, he sat down at a bench and soon Natasha and Steve came to join him.

“Everything okay, Buck?” Steve asked, concern drawn all over his face.

“Yeah.” Bucky replied, biting on bread. “Why? Did I miss something?” he asked with his mouth full.

“No, you just look worried or something.”

“I always look worried, Stevie.” Bucky grinned. “It’s my default setting.”

Natasha snorted. “I’d say your default setting is brooding.”

“That’s Loki’s territory.” Bucky replied and the others laughed.

“You were texting him.” Natasha said, all of a sudden.

Well, crap. Bucky knew he couldn’t keep it from her. “I was.” He took another bite of his food.

“Good thing Amber was distracted.” She mumbled, looking at Amber, who was now dancing with Tony.

“We saw it too.” Steve said, looking at Bucky. “Did he forget something?”

“Hmm? Yeah, he said there were some books he needed to take with him and had forgotten so he quickly teleported back and forth. With Tony’s ‘no teleporting indoors’ policy he had to do it from outside.” He hoped that they would buy the lie, though from the look Natasha gave him, she didn’t believe it at all. Thankfully she didn’t say anything, so Bucky just shrugged at her.

By the time they finished eating, Amber made everyone coffee and tea using her special recipes. They sat around a fire pit that Tony didn’t even know they had. Vision was talking about a TV show he had recently watched and fond peculiar, and everyone chimed in with their opinions about it. Amber made herself some tea in a travel mug to prevent the hot liquid from spilling because of her tremors. She came to sit next to Bucky on a bench, leaning into him as he wrapped an arm around her shoulder.

“What’s the topic?” she asked.

“Hell if I know. Some TV show.” He said, taking a sip of his Irish coffee.

“Today was nice.” She mumbled.

“It was.” He squeezed her shoulder.

By the time everyone was done with their drinks, Wanda had fallen asleep on Vision’s shoulder. He gently picked her up and excused themselves, bidding everyone a good night as he took his girlfriend to bed.

Clint got up as well. He had decided to spend the night, since he had some alcohol and was feeling tipsy, so he didn’t want to drive home like that.

Slowly, everyone bid each other good night and went to their rooms until it was only Amber, Bucky and Tony sitting around the fire pit. They sat in silence for a while, Tony reading something on his phone while Amber and Bucky simply stared into the dimming flames before them.

“Would you stay tonight?” Bucky asked.

“Another time, maybe. Need to open up early tomorrow. Inventory.” Amber wrapped her arms around her waist as they were shaking from exhaustion.

“You can’t drive like that.” He stated.

“I’ve been doing it for a year.” She smiled at him.

“And hopefully you won’t have to anymore.” Tony chimed in, a bright grin on his face.

The two looked at him, puzzled.

“I think I have a prototype ready enough to be tested.” He said, tapping on his phone and then swiping to activate a holo-screen. 

“A sleeve?” Bucky raised an eyebrow.

“Made of photostatic veil so it adheres to the skin, making it ergonomic. Not that different than the one you already have on.” He looked at Amber. “This one includes a special technology I developed using rhythmic vibrations and nano tech, keeps the muscles and nerve endings in constant relaxation, which in turn could reduce the trembling. And since it’s just a prototype, it only comes in black so far.”

Amber perked up, almost dropping her mug. “Don’t get my hopes up, Stark.”

Tony grinned ear to ear. “I just got the confirmation from FRIDAY. It will be ready to be tested in a few days. We’ll set up an appointment once it’s ready.”

Amber gasped, her eyes tearing up from emotions. “Oh Tony, I don’t know what to say.” She got up and went to him, giving him a tight hug. She would finally get rid of the horrible tremors.

“No need to say anything, kid.” He hugged her back. Bucky was smiling happily. If Stark’s prototype would work, maybe his friend could finally find some peace. That was reward enough for him.

Amber pulled back from the hug and took a seat next to Tony. “I really should get going, though seeing everyone today was really good.” She nodded, smiling fondly.

“Seriously, kid. Stay the night. We’d feel more comfortable knowing you’re not too exhausted to drive.” Tony said, giving her a knowing look.

“I promise I’m not too exhausted.”

“How about I drive you home, then?” Bucky suggested, “I can borrow your motorbike for the way back.”

“That’s actually a good idea!” Tony agreed.

Amber gave it a thought. “That.. works.” She said with a bit of hesitation. Her bike was her baby, and though Bucky was a master of riding motorbikes, she never let him get near it unless it was to help her with maintenance. And that only started recently because she couldn’t hold a simple wrench without her hands shaking. Well, she could look at it as though he was taking it for repairs. Yep, that would definitely work.

With that said, she got up and as did the two men. She gave Tony one last hug and he promised that Happy will be returning whatever is left of her ingredients and boxes by noon tomorrow. She entwined her arm around Bucky’s and leaned against him as they went to the entrance where her car was parked.

-*-*-*-*-*-

The next morning Amber woke up feeling anxious. Bucky had dropped her off and left with her motorbike. He had promised to bring it back in one piece the next day and he could drive back to the compound with Happy. But that wasn’t what gave her that feeling. She trusted Bucky with her life, so she knew her bike was in good hands. This was not the kind of feeling one would get when they are worried about the care of an item. It somehow felt different. Like something bad was going to happen and she couldn’t point out what.

Taking a deep breath, she sat up in her bed and shoved the covers aside. She checked the time and it was 5am. She had a couple of hours to wake up and get ready for work. She quickly scanned her phone for messages, finding one from Bucky with a picture of her bike neatly parked in the underground garage with the caption ‘safe and sound.’ She smiled at that and put the phone on the nightstand before getting up and heading to the shower.

After taking her clothes off, she stood in front of the mirror above the sink looking at her scar-free arms. While she could shower with the photostatic veil on, she preferred taking it off, just so she could feel the skin underneath also being cleaned. She slowly peeled the veil away from one arm and put it aside on the sink. Then she proceeded to take off the other. Looking back into the mirror, she couldn’t help the lump forming in her throat as she took in the shiny, almost melted skin. She ran her fingers over the pits and ridges where it had tried to heal and ended up clustering together. Tony and Bruce had done their best to get the skin heal as smooth as possible, but there were things even the most advanced technology and science couldn’t fix. She then looked down to her abdomen. She peeled the veil off of it as well and placed it on top of the others on the sink. This was the worst of her injuries. The damage was so severe that they had to wait for it to heal before they could consider a skin graft. After it did, she decided against a skin graft and a photostatic veil was also constructed for it. At times it felt uncomfortable to move. Bending and turning would cause the scar tissue to stretch and pull uncomfortably. When she wasn’t careful with her movements, the thinnest tissues would tear a bit and bleed. Thankfully it had only been superficial tears, nothing that a band-aid couldn’t fix.

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she wiped the tears off her eyes and took a deep breath as she walked into the shower cabin and turned the water on. Yesterday was an exceptionally good day and she wanted to carry that feeling along through today as well. She wasn’t going to let a couple of scars distract her from doing that.

After the shower she purposely avoided looking into the mirror until the photostatic veils were put back on. Once in place, she looked at her reflection and smiled in determination. Today was going to be a good day. At least she hoped it would be.

She arrived at work early and soon after her Michelle walked in as well. The teenager dropped her backpack with a huff and put on her apron. She seemed frustrated about something and Amber didn’t feel like prying just yet. She made them some cappuccino and handed the teenager a mug. Michelle accepted it silently as she sat down at the bar, sipping the hot liquid slowly.

Amber sat next to her, taking a sip of her own drink and set the mug on the counter. She turned to Michelle with an expectant look on her face.

“Don’t give me that look.” Michelle said, staring at the mug she was holding with both hands on the counter.

“What look?”

“The one that says ‘spill your guts’. I don’t want to talk about it.”

“If my face says anything, which it doesn’t, at this hour it would say ‘hey’ and that’s about it.” Amber grinned.

Michelle looked at her, a small smile tugging at the corner of her lips. She liked how Amber never pried on her personal affairs and only meddled when she deemed it absolutely necessary in protection of her.

“That being said,” Amber continued, taking another sip, “we have a few things to do today.”

“Inventory.” Michelle concluded.

“Yep.” Amber nodded. “And after lunch, there’s something I’d like to talk to you about.” 

Michelle raised an eyebrow. Whenever people said there’s something to talk about, it was never good. Nevertheless, she nodded, sipping on her coffee. “Sure.”

“How was yesterday?”

“Pretty good, actually. The guys helped a lot. Even cleaned up with me before closing.”

“Mhmm..” Amber was pleased to hear that. It would work with her plan nicely. “Alright, how about we get going with the inventory just so we get it out of the way?”

Michelle finished her cappuccino and got up. “Let’s do this.” She flexed her neck and shoulders, as if about to go into a fight. Amber giggled at that and got up as well.

They spent three hours going through drinks, ingredients, glasses, tablecloths, you name it. Registering what they had and what they would need to stock up on. While Amber went through the finances, Michelle was creating a new menu for the daily specials, trying to come up with interesting mixes and wrote down any ingredient they would need to acquire. Once they were done, triple checking everything, Michelle was asked to mix them a drink. Amber gave her full reign on what it would be. Feeling encouraged, Michelle grabbed a few ingredients and started mixing.

Amber smirked as she saw how the teenager was preparing a virgin mudslide cocktail. She has taught her well. Though the amount she was making seemed more than what was needed for two people. She was about to ask her about it when she heard the doorbell chime and she turned around to see Happy and Bucky arriving together, putting boxes on the floor and heading back out. She turned to look at Michelle who simply looked at the entrance for a split second and continued preparing the drinks like nothing happened. Definitely taught her well, Amber thought with a sense of pride.

The two men came back and put a couple more boxes on top the ones already in there. Happy went back out to lock the car and Bucky walked further in.

“How are my two favorite ladies doing on this fine day?” he asked as he wrapped an arm around Amber’s shoulder and kissing her temple.

“Done with inventory and planning to chill a bit before opening for clients in the afternoon.” Amber said, smiling.

Michelle smiled at them as she placed four neatly garnished cocktails on the counter, handing one to Amber and another to Bucky. She grabbed one for herself and raised the glass in salute before taking a sip. “Hmm, not bad.” She said, nodding to herself.

Amber and Bucky did the same and while Amber nodded her approval with a raised eyebrow, Bucky gave her a thumbs up.

“This is really good.” He said, taking another sip. “If you’re not careful she might overthrow you one day.” He grinned at Amber and went to sit next to her.

“I sure hope so! What’s the point of teaching something if the student doesn’t outdo the master?” 

“Yeah, I don’t think it’s supposed to be that way.” Michelle grinned.

“Don’t care.” Amber shrugged. “I like achievements.” She grinned.

Happy joined them a moment later and took a seat on Amber’s other side. Michelle handed him his drink and he looked at it for a moment. “Is this legal this early in the day? And do you even have a license for it?”

“it’s virgin.” Michelle said, taking a sip from her glass. “And we do have a license, we just don’t use it.”

“Cool.” Happy said and took a large gulp of the drink. “This is good!” he exclaimed as he put the half-empty glass down on the counter.

“Glad you like it.” Michelle beamed at him.

The men stayed until they finished their drinks and then left. Bucky told Amber that when he took her bike to her place, Happy had picked him up from there. She was thankful at how considerate he was. He never failed to think about the small details.

After lunch, Amber asked Michelle to join her at the back of the cafe. They sat in the crammed office area, which Amber had always planned on tidying up and so far hasn’t. Michelle felt nervous. In her experience, these types of talks always went two ways. Either getting fired or scolded. Though she knew Amber wouldn’t fire her, she wondered if she had done something that would warrant a scolding. She never liked those, even though she has never been scolded by her boss so far. Maybe a little warning about something she had done wrong, but it was always delivered in a friendly manner.

Amber sat across from the girl and watched her squirm in her seat. She smiled at how nervous Michelle looked and wondered if she should prolong the suffering. She chose not to do that. She’ll have enough times for teasing in the future.

“So,” Amber started, which caused Michelle to sit up nervously. “You said yesterday was good and the boys were quite helpful.” Michelle nodded, so she went on. “So I’ve been thinking.. in the past year you’ve done so much around here and you’ve been an enormous help for me whenever my limbs refused to cooperate. I have no words to express my gratitude for you Michelle, so instead, I’d like to run a couple of ideas by you.” She smirked.

Michelle looked puzzled. The compliments were nice, she even swallowed a lump in her throat at Amber’s words. People were never grateful for her. Except for Peter and Ned, but they were her friends so it didn’t count. “Sure..” she hesitantly said, her hands fidgeting on her lap.

“Do you think Peter and Ned would be interested in a part time gig here?”

Michelle’s shoulders dropped in relief as she beamed at her boss. “Ned will definitely faint. Peter would forget how to talk.” She giggled.

“Alright then, can you ask them to prepare a resume and schedule a job interview for both?”

“Sure, when would it be convenient for you?”

“Oh I wouldn’t be conducting the interview.” Amber grinned. “You will.”

“Uhmm... me?” Michelle huffed in confusion. Why would she be conducting a job interview? Was Amber plotting to prank the boys or something?

“That brings me to the other idea. What do you think of the title ‘junior manager’?”

“Sounds fancy, but what does that have to do with me doing the interviews?”

“Well, you’ve just been promoted to a junior manager-oomf-!” Amber was tackled in a bone crushing hug in the form of a teenager. She laughed as she wrapped her arms around Michelle, returning the hug.

“Thankyouthankyouthankyou!”

“You’re very welcome, kid. It’s the least I can do.” She pulled back from the hug, looking at Michelle’s face and tucking a strand of hair behind her ear. “You’ve proven that you can handle the business, so it was time to make it official.”

“I promise I won’t let you down.”

“I have no doubt. Now let’s go make some money. People must be thirsty by now.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!


	4. Chapter 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are getting a bit exciting here.
> 
> Thanks for the comments on the previous chapter!

Meanwhile in New Asgard, Loki was tasked to discuss amenities with Thor and Valkyrie. Why she was present at the conversation, he had no idea. Then again, Thor had a thing for valkyries in general, so he supposed it was a fanboy thing. Her input was valuable, but the way she brought the input in was most irritating for him. As if he didn’t have enough arrogance going around at the compound, now he was tasked to deal with this.

It was still a good change of pace. Away from the compound and assisting his own people. Though it had more to do with him just being away from the compound. He shouldn’t have gone back the previous day. His curiosity had gotten the best of him. He hadn’t seen her for a year. Never been around her cafe or her house. And yesterday she was at the compound. As beautiful as ever, talking, joking, laughing. She looked happy. It broke his heart seeing how her arms were trembling as she mixed drinks and he wasn’t allowed to do anything about it. The soldier was beside her, helping her. Too close to her for Loki’s liking, though he knew they shared a special bond as though they were siblings. So it was alright. The soldier was as protective of her as he himself would have been, had he been given the chance. He was once and he acted recklessly. He wouldn’t rest until he had found whoever it was that wielded the magic behind the explosions that god forsaken day. Maybe then she would be able to forgive him.

His search has yielded nothing at first. But soon clues have been gathered and tied together. Working side-by-side with the sorcerer had its merits. Turns out the sorcerer was capable of putting his arrogance aside for a minute and help him out. Two mages worked much better than one.

He sat through the dull meeting with Thor and Valkyrie, limiting his input more and more due to Valkyrie interrupting every time he made a suggestion and came up with her own. At some point he stopped discussing things at all, only speaking when spoken to. His mind kept drifting towards the clues he had gathered with the help of the sorcerer. He wished for this meeting to end so he would continue his search, but no, Thor had to open a new can of worms at the last minute in the form of starting an Asgardian mead production company in order to get some money into the treasury. Thankfully, Valkyrie shot that idea down immediately by pointing out that the ingredients needed for an Asgardian mead did not exist on Midgard, and Midgardians were more likely to get poisoned by it.

While Thor was trying to convince Valkyrie about his idea as if they were a married couple, Loki notices orange sparks starting to appear at the side of the room. The sparks grew bigger and formed a circle, which caught Thor and Valkyrie’s attention as well. None of them got up, knowing exactly what this was, though Loki’s heart dropped as the circle turned into a ring and Doctor Strange stepped through it.

“Hello,” he said, his cloak waving its corner at the Asgardians in greeting, which made Strange push it back into place.

“Stephen!” Thor beamed at his brother in arms. “What brings you here?”

“Him.” Strange points out, nodding towards Loki.

“Did he do something?” Valkyrie asked, giving Loki an accusing look.

Loki simply rolled his eyes as he stood up, his casual, Midgardian clothes shimmering and changing into Asgardian, leather ones. “If there’s nothing else for me here, I’ll be taking my leave.”

“I was hoping you’d stay for the rest of the week, brother.”

“If my business with the sorcerer concludes early, I shall return. I was hoping to stay for a while anyway.” Loki gave his brother a little smile, which Thor returned in full.

“I would love it if you stay a while.”

Loki nodded at Thor, completely ignoring Valkyrie and stepping through the portal. Strange bid his farewell to the Asgardians and stepped into the portal as well, which closed immediately after.

“Did you find anything?” Loki asked as soon as the portal had closed.

“A name.” Strange said and Loki’s heart skipped a bit. They were close. “Let’s go to the library.” He placed a finger over his lips, asking Loki to not speak.

Loki nodded his understanding and walked alongside the sorcerer towards the library, where Wong was awaiting them.

“Wong,” Loki greeted with a slight nod of his head.

“Loki,” Wong grunted, nodding back.

Strange moved his hands in circular motion, creating spell discs. He spread his arms then forcefully brought them together before he spread them again, creating an entrance to the mirror dimension. He motioned for Wong and Loki to walk in and he followed after them.

“Are you being eavesdropped upon?” Loki asked the moment they were all inside.

“It appears so.” Wong said, clearly displeased by the whole thing. “The Silver Dagger is missing.”

“The Destroyer of Demons?” Loki’s blood froze. The dagger used to belong to a witch hunter. It was made of silver and could easily pierce magical defences. The witch hunter had placed several enchantments on it, making it even stronger against magical forces. The dagger could mortally wound basically anyone in the Sanctum right now, including himself. Well, it wouldn’t kill him, but it would be a bitch to treat and would probably make him suffer to the point of asking to be killed.

“Let’s not dwell on that. We find Doom, we find the dagger.” Strange said nonchalantly.

“Doom,” Loki turned to him, befuddled. “Victor von Doom?”

“Yep,” Strange popped the ‘p’ on the word, folding his arms. “Apparently he’s now collaborating with Hydra. Which is how they got their tech magically warded against you.”

“How could I have been so stupid?” Loki hissed as he ran his hands through his hair and started pacing. “A whole year of useless searching and he was right under my nose the whole time. How could I have not seen it!”

“You were blinded by emotions.” Wong supplied and Loki glared at him and Wong simply shrugged.

“How dare you..”

Loki was cut off by Strange putting a hand over his arm. “Let’s not kill each other just yet. We still need to work together on this.”

Loki glared at Wong one more time before he took in a deep breath and exhaled slowly. “All right, how do we know it was Doom?”

“Remember the clues we gathered last, right? That might have led us to a very talkative Hydra agent and a few extra glasses of beer might have been involved?” Strange tried to look innocent, hands behind his back as he swayed left and right.

Loki bared his teeth in a malicious grin. They were getting places. He could feel his blood boil in revenge. Doom will not know what hit him. “Do we know where Doom currently is?” he asked.

“Not yet. He’s keeping his whereabouts hidden to us.” Wong said, and Loki huffed.

“I think it’s time we talk to Stark.” Strange suggested and was immediately pushed back when Loki’s hand forcefully grabbed his collar.

“Not a word to the Avengers, mortal.” Loki hissed. Strange simply looked at the hand grabbing his shirt collar and then at Loki, patiently waiting to be released. After a few moments Loki let go of the sorcerer and started pacing again. “I don’t want them meddling. They would complicate things.”

“Tony can find Doom using technology, since we cannot find him using magic. We don’t have to tell him why we’re looking for him.” Strange tried to reason.

“You know how curious Stark is. Once he gets a hint of me searching for Doom he’d have all sorts of conspiracy theories in his head!” Loki said, huffing.

“If Hydra was targeting you that day and is working with Doom, them having the Silver Dagger puts us all in grave danger. We need non-magical assistance here, Loki. We need the Avengers.”

“Alright, alright! I’ll talk to Stark. I’ll send you a message once I do.” Loki wasn’t giving in, but he wasn’t giving up his own agenda either. He knew exactly whom to ask for assistance away from prying eyes. “I’d appreciate a portal to the compound. I would teleport, but your Sanctum prevents me from it.” Thor can wait. This takes precedence.

“Sure.” Strange replied as he waved off the mirror dimension and they were once more standing in the actual library. Holding the one hand with the sling ring up, he made circular motions with his other hand as a portal opened up to the living area of the compound.

“I’ll keep you posted. Thanks.” Loki said and stepped through the portal towards a very surprised Wanda.

“I thought you were in New Asgard.” Wanda said as the portal closed, she vaguely waved at the disappearing sight of Doctor Strange and Wong, who waved back.

“I was, now I’m not. Where’s Stark?”

“Lab. Something wrong?” She could sense there was, but Loki wasn’t someone she’d attempt to read his mind. She always opted to ask him instead, and only sometimes getting a straight answer.

“No.” Loki replied and quickly headed towards Tony’s lab. On the way he sent a quick text to Bucky.

_‘I’m back. Get here asap. We got lead.’_

-*-*-*-*-*-

Bucky was just about to buy some plums at the market when his phone buzzed.

“God damn it, not again.” He huffed as he took out his phone. Seeing the Loki’s message sparked something in him. He apologized to the vendor for not going through with the purchase due to emergency and started walking in quick paces towards where he had parked his motorbike. Before he got on the way, he typed a quick reply.

_‘Be there in 10’_

He might end up breaking a few traffic laws by going a 30 minute distance in 10 minutes, but who cared? It wouldn’t be the first time he broke a few laws and it certainly wasn’t going to be the last. He pocketed his phone and hopped onto the bike, kicking the kickstand up and then pushing the starter pedal, making the motorcycle roar into life. He sped through the streets as if his life depended on it, which in a sense, it was. He wasn’t sure if he was excited for having a lead or extremely pissed and angry. Given the reason behind it all, he settled for being angry. He could handle angry. He’d spent so many years as the Winter Soldier that taking the anger completely out of him was basically impossible. Thank goodness for Wakandan technology and the help he had received there about the trigger words. Although, despite their assurances that they would not work on him anymore, there was always a small part at the back of his mind always wondering if that was true. Shuri has tested the words after she was done with the treatment, and they had no effect anymore. But he never let go of the ‘what if’ that kept poking at the back of his mind.

Taking several shortcuts and breaking a couple of dozen traffic and safety regulations, he reached the compound. He was tempted to just drop the bike at the entrance and rush in, but at the last moment he remembered his conversation with Loki. No one was to know. So, he huffed in annoyance as he directed the bike to his usual parking spot around the corner and then walked in.

“FRIDAY, where’s Loki?” he asked the moment he stepped in.

“In the lab with the boss.” Came the reply.

“Thanks.” He still couldn’t believe that they spoke to a machine as if it was a person. A very intelligent person, but a machine nonetheless. He headed towards the elevator and pressed the button to the lab floor, tapping his foot impatiently as the doors closed.

“For the love of everything you hold dear, Stark, why are you being overly nosy about this?” Loki’s voice came through the elevator as it reached the floor and the doors opened. Bucky walked into the lab, hands in his pockets like he was just out for a walk.

“I am not going to put out a search on Doom just like that without a valid reason!” Tony replied, “and ‘because I said so’ is not good enough!” he quickly added, irritation evident in his voice.

Bucky concluded on the spot that Doom was probably the lead Loki had mentioned in his text. Flexing his shoulders, he stepped closer until he was within Tony’s range of view.

“We do need to look for Doom.” He said confidently, like he was there for the whole conversation. He raised his chin with practiced subtlety as he glanced at Loki, letting him silently know that he gathered Doom was the person to look for, and then turned his attention back to Tony.

“And why is that, Manchurian Candidate?” Tony huffed, crossing his arms.

“There’s word on the street he’s plotting a Doombot attack.” He shrugged, crossing his arms as he noticed Loki’s shoulders tense at the reasoning. He wondered why the God hadn’t thought of something as simple as this already. “And because Loki said so.” He added, and while Tony raised both arms in resignation and turned his face to the side in an irritated sigh, Bucky winked at Loki, who simply nodded in gratitude.

“You guys are killing me.” Tony said, turning to face a holo screen behind him. “FRIDAY, what’s the last known Doom location.”

“The last known location for Doctor Victor von Doom was the Latverian embassy in NYC. However, this is believed to be outdated. No one has seen him for a few years.” The AI responded monotonously. Loki was silently taking mental notes and making plans. He was itching to get started.

“Outdated is not good enough.” Bucky said, taking a step forward to stand next to Loki. “Can we do an extensive search? Look for radiation signature sparks in the whole state, anything out of the ordinary.” He conveniently skipped saying ‘anything magical’ as to not spark suspicion.

“What he said,” Tony said, absentmindedly waving a hand towards Bucky as he kept staring onto the screen. FRIDAY had already started the search.

Loki started pacing. He needed to get a word out to Strange. He took out his phone, looked at it for a moment and then put it back into his pocket. A text or an email can be intercepted. He needed to send word in another way. Looking around he saw a note pad on one of the tables, he grabbed it and tore a page off. He then looked around for a pen and found one on another table. Stark’s lab was as messy as his workshop. He scribbled a note to the sorcerer, telling him Stark had started a search and it would help keeping things hushed if Strange himself would inform Stark about the Silver Dagger that gone missing. It would keep Stark off their backs.

Once done he folded the paper several times into a neat square, placed it between his palms and brought his hands close to his mouth and started whispering a spell. He then opened his hands and softly blew on the paper, which shimmered and disintegrated. Bucky watched the whole thing in awe. Magic was pretty dope sometimes.

“Boss, I’m sensing an energy spike unrelated to the search. It’s in the lab.” FRIDAY announced and almost instantly a portal opened and Doctor Strange walked through.

“Dumbledore! Nice of you to _conveniently_ visit.” Tony said, emphasising the word ‘conveniently’ as he turned around in his seat to glare at the sorcerer. Loki and Bucky gave each other a look. Tony was smart, though Loki hoped that in this case he wasn’t too smart. He couldn’t jeopardize his mission.

“Yeah, yeah, listen, a dangerous artefact has gone missing from the Sanctum and we have suspicions on who the culprit might be, but to be positive we need your expertise.” He rolled his eyes as Tony beamed at the word ‘expertise’.

“Sure, Gandalf, who’s your suspect?”

“Victor von Doom.”

Tony raised an eyebrow. One suspicion was okay. A second was a just coincidence. But a third one and all within less than an hour? Something was happening and he wanted in on it. He just had to figure out how. He turned to look at the other two in the room. “You guys knew about this?”

“Nope.”

“Total coincidence.”

“And I’m the Pope’s long lost son.” Tony retorted.

Bucky shrugged, leaning against a table innocently. Loki rolled his eyes with a sigh. Strange was holding the bridge of his nose with two fingers.

“Stark,” Strange said in a slow, almost dangerous tone. “Will you search for the guy or not?” he dropped his hand and gave Tony a stern look.

“Not until I know what’s really going on here.” Tony crossed his arms against his chest in defiance.

“Are you seriously shitting me right now, Stark? There’s a dangerous mystical artefact missing and you’re throwing a tantrum?!” Strange was reaching a boiling point.

“Not a tantrum, but yeah. You guys are either lying,” he pointedly looked at Loki, “or not telling me the whole truth.” His gaze turned back to Strange. “So out with it, or I could just ask FRIDAY. You know she has eyes and ears everywhere around the compound and then some.”

Loki was done with it all. The longer they tried to convince Stark the longer it took them to find Doom and the longer it took him to get his revenge. And he didn’t like the idea that FRIDAY might have had a recording of him confessing things to Bucky. He made a mental note to find and delete that at a later time.

“Alright,” he said, “I guess there’s no other way around it.”

“Loki-” Bucky started but was cut off with Loki’s raised hand and a nod. He sighed, nodding back.

“It goes without saying that what I’m about to tell you should stay among those present in this room, at this moment.” Loki started, giving Stark a serious look. “If it leaves the room without my knowledge and consent, I will make the chitauri attack seem like a picnic in the park.” He raised his chin as he glared at Tony.

Strange simply raised an eyebrow. He knew the backstory and Loki’s need to keep it a secret, even if he didn’t quite agree with how the God was taking things. All of his misery could have been avoided had he spoken up sooner, but it seemed that the Asgardian thrived in self-loathe and angst. 

“Shit, you’re serious.” Tony said, his whole demeanour changing. It was not always Loki made serious threats. And when he made them, he also accurately executed them. “Alright, Reindeer Games, go ahead.”

Loki crossed his arms to stop himself from fidgeting as he started telling Stark what transpired the day of the accident. He told him everything he had told Barnes and Strange before. Skipping the parts about feelings, of course. Not even Strange knew about that. It was simply Bucky’s instincts that drew the information out of him, which by now was alright with him. But no one else needed to know. Tony listened intently, his eyes going wide as Loki revealed his findings on that day and how he couldn’t reach Amber in time. Why he disappeared for a month and what he’s been doing for the past year with the sorcerer.

“So there you have it. This is why I need to find Doom.” Loki concluded his monologue.

Tony was silent for a moment, scratching his beard in thought and then he looked at Loki. “I just don’t understand one thing. Why the hell didn’t you say something sooner? Why do it all in secret?” he stood up, taking slow steps towards the God. “What, you thought we were incompetent to take Doom down? Or we didn’t care enough about Amber to seek justice? Is that it?”

Loki shook his head as he turned his gaze down to the floor. “No. I have my reasons.”

“And what pray tell would those be?” Tony crossed his arms, his patience running low.

Loki looked at him and raised his chin. “Never before was I tricked by a mortal, second-rate wizard. Never before has a mortal been able to bind my powers the way they did after the explosion. Doom was targeting me that day and our friend and teammate was caught in the crossfire. Doom made it personal and I will personally make him pay for it.”

Tony raised his arms in resignation as he huffed. He looked at the other two in the room, “do you believe this guy?” he turned his attention to Loki. “You egotistical maniac. Have you ever put your ego aside and actually thought about how this has been affecting Amber? Have you thought that during the worst time of it, she needed both of her teammates to be around instead of just one of them? For fuck’s sake you haven’t even talked to her since then! She resents you for disappearing! You could have saved us all a heartache and then some by just letting us know!” Tony’s voice was alarmingly calm as he vented at Loki. Though the God could sense the pent up emotion behind it. He took a long look at Stark, who was clenching his teeth as to keep himself to say anything he might regret later.

Loki knew he was waiting for it. An apology, which he would rather fall into the void once more than say it. Loki wasn’t one to apologize no matter what and no matter to whom. If he were to ever change that, there was only one person in the whole Nine Realms he owed it to and Stark was not that person.

Bucky chose that moment to interrupt the banter before it got out of hand. He pushed himself off the table and stood between the two. “Alright guys, the more we dwell on this the more time we’d be wasting. Stark,” he turned to Tony, “will you help us find Doom?”

Tony sighed, running a hand through his hair. He was pretty worked up and needed a moment to cool down. He paced back and forth a couple of times and then sat down. “FRIDAY, got anything?”

“Victor von Doom is currently residing in an undisclosed Hydra facility in New Jersey. The exact location is being tracked as we speak.” The AI said.

Tony maximized the holographic search window so the others could see the data as well. Then he turned to Strange, “Got a photo of that artefact you lost?”

“It was stolen and no, but I can replicate it.” Strange slid his fingers into his sling ring and conjured a replica of the Silver Dagger, having it float on top of his palm. Tony looked at it for a moment and nodded.

“Okay, FRIDAY, scan the knife in the wizard’s hand and run a search in the tristate area. While you’re at it, check for Doombots or Doom himself. They might be on a picnic or something.”

“This might take a while, boss.” The AI said.

“In that case, I’m hungry. FRIDAY, alert me,” he looked at Loki, “ _discretely_ , when your search is complete. And get us some food delivered asap.”

“Sure, boss.”

“Okay, let’s go eat.” He grabbed an earpiece and put it into his right ear. “FRIDAY will let me know when the search is concluded.” He tapped on the earpiece to emphasise.   
  
“Yeah, I could eat.” Bucky said, heading to the elevator alongside Tony. Strange followed suit. 

Loki kept standing at the desk, staring intently at the holographic screen as if it would speed things up. The three turned to look at him as the elevator doors opened. Bucky sighed as he stayed in the lab, turning to Tony and Strange. “We’ll catch up. Don’t eat it all without me.” He grinned at Tony as the elevator doors closed.

He walked over to Loki and stood next to him. “It won’t go faster whether you glare at it or not, you know.” He said calmly.

“I’m starting to have doubts, Barnes.” Loki kept his gaze on the screen.

“Why?”

“I’m not quite sure. I just do.”

Bucky sighed, putting a hand over Loki’s shoulder and squeezing in reassurance. “Then don’t think about it. Let the machine find the asshole and as soon as it does, we’ll go get him. In the mean time we need to strategize. And eat. Come.” He gave Loki’s shoulder a tap and headed to the elevator.

Loki sighed and followed Barnes, only to grab him by the shoulder and teleporting them to the living area. Bucky stumbled forward as they arrived. It was only Loki’s firm grip on him that kept him from falling face forward onto the floor.

“Shit, I’ll never get used to that.” Bucky said as he straightened up.

“How many times do I have to say NO TE-LE-POR-TING indoors?” Tony scowled.

“He’s hungry.” Loki pointed at Bucky who gave him a shocked and betrayed look. Loki simply went to plump himself on an armchair, draping a leg over the armrest. Despite the attempted joke at Bucky’s expense, he still felt a bit uneasy about the whole thing. Was it wise to let Stark in on the story and his plans for revenge? Probably not. He was certain the mortal will get in the way in one way or another, but seeing as all the technology at their disposal was controlled by FRIDAY, there was no way Stark wouldn’t have been informed one way or another, even if they would have invoked some privacy protocol. The AI told her creator literally everything that happened at the compound. It was then up to Stark whether he wanted to do something about it or not. Thankfully, he was quite discreet and never showed any of them that he knew. 

Loki could hardly wait for the search to conclude so that he-, they could get going.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can hardly wait to post the next chapter *grins*


	5. Chapter 5

Amber and Michelle were cleaning up the cafe as soon as the last customer had left. Michelle was mopping the floors as Amber wiped the counter top at the bar and organized some bottles. As they were done, they took of their aprons and hung them at the back. Each grabbing her backpack and heading towards the entrance. Once outside, Amber locked the doors and with Michelle’s help pulled the security grilles down and locked them into place. At that moment Peter swung by, landing next to Michelle causing her to jump.

“Peter! How many times do I have to tell you not to do that!” she scolded him.

“Sorry,” he said, giving her a shy smile. He then turned to Amber, “Hey miss Bishop.”

“Hey kid, you’re a bit too late for a drink.” She gestured at the closed doors.

“Yeah, no, I mean, well, no I didn’t come here for a drink. I..” he scratched his head as he tried to put words together.

“He’s here to walk me home.” Michelle shrugged.

“Yeah, that.” He grinned.

“Well then, you can either walk or I drop you off wherever?” Amber offered and headed towards the parking lot.

“That would be cool.” Michelle followed her, as did Peter. It would save them some unnecessary distance. 

“Uhm, miss Bishop, Michelle lives at a totally different direction from where you live.” Peter pointed out.

“Who said I was going home, kid?” Amber chuckled.

“Oh okay, cool.” Peter nodded.

Once at the car, Amber opened the passenger seat door and the back seat door on the same side. As the teenagers got into the car she went to the other side to get in herself. 

“So, where to?” she started the engine and while the teenagers were debating amongst themselves, she turned on some music as she pulled out onto the road.

“Is it okay if we drove around a bit before dropping us off?” Michelle asked. She liked going through the city in a car, especially when she was with friends.

“Sure.” Amber smiled, taking a turn to get onto the highway.

“I’m gonna call aunt May and let her know I might be late.” Peter said from the back seat, taking his phone out calling his aunt.

Amber lowered the music volume until Peter was done with the call, and then cranked it up as ‘Love is all around’ by Wet Wet Wet started playing. She and Michelle started singing along as Peter raised an eyebrow and stared at the two. Though he joined them when Jesse J’s ‘Price Tag’ followed. They simply kept driving aimlessly through the city and singling along to the upbeat music.

Amber fell silent when Gotye’s ‘Somebody that I used to know’ followed. The teenagers were still singing along.

_But you didn’t have to cut me off  
Make out like it never happened and that we were nothing  
And I don’t even need your love  
But you treat me like a stranger and that feels so rough_

The lyrics seemed to hit a nerve with Amber. She clutched tightly at the steering wheel that her hands started shaking. She focused on the road ahead and hoped the song would finish soon.

Michelle noticed the uneasiness on Ambers face and the way she was holding the steering wheel. While humming the song silently, she reached with one hand to hold the steering wheel from the lower side, keeping her eyes ahead. Amber noticed what Michelle was doing. The girl’s attentiveness never ceased to amaze her. She was glad she could trust her with the new position at the cafe. Peter noticed how Michelle held on to the steering wheel and said nothing. He leaned back into the seat and simply remained silent.

Amber took a turn and pulled into a parking lot. The teenagers looked around to see where they were. There was a small diner and a few cars parking.

Amber turned off the car engine, feeling glad the song had ended. She needed to take that out of her playlist once she was home. “So,” she turned to the kids. “How about I treat you guys to a celebratory dinner?” she grinned at them like it wasn’t her 5 minutes ago being affected by a stupid song.

Michelle returned the grin with a similar one. “I’m game.”

“Uh.. me too, I guess?” Peter smiled nervously.

“Good. This diner has the best club sandwiches I’ve ever tasted.” Amber unlocked her seatbelt and got off the car, the teenagers following suit.

They sat down at a booth, Amber sitting across from the two who curiously looked around.

“Looks cosy.” Michelle said and Peter nodded his agreement.

“That’s why I come here sometimes after work. Be it a celebration or just because I felt like it.” Amber smiled.

A waitress approached them and took their orders. Three club sandwiches (at Amber’s recommendation), a big portion of fries to share and sodas for the teenagers. Amber decided to skip drinking. Holding a glass in public made her feel uneasy. So she always opted to skip drinking. Eating, however, was a different story. She could always hide her trembling hands behind a napkin or if she was with company, she would just wave her hands in conversation before bringing the food to her mouth.

Once the food arrived, the three of them got excited. Amber raised her sandwich with a slightly trembling hand. “Since I’m not drinking, I’ll be toasting with a sandwich.” She grinned. Michelle raised her sandwich as well, grinning. Peter blinked a couple of times in confusion, but did the same nonetheless.

“To Michelle,” Amber started, looking proudly at her protégé. “Congratulations on your promotion and may you mix the most wonderful drinks for as long as your heart desires. I’m confident you’ll be an awesome junior manager. And thank you for being in my life.” She ended her toast with a warm smile directed at the girl.

Michelle smiled sweetly and mumbled her thanks. Peter’s smile went ear to ear. “Hey congrats! Didn’t know you were getting promoted, otherwise I would have gotten you something. So, uh, rain check?” he looked at his friend expectantly. 

“Sure.” She replied, tapping his sandwich with hers and did the same with Amber before biting into it. “Holy crap this is good!” she exclaimed with a full mouth.

“Told ya.” Amber grinned and took a bite of her own.

After they were done eating, they had dessert. The teenagers were so excited about the place they asked to be brought here again, next time with Ned as well. Since it was a bit outside the city, and none of them drove, they would have to be relying on an adult to get here. Or well, Peter swinging them, maybe. But he figured he probably wasn’t allowed to swing out of town anyway.

Once finished, Amber paid and they headed back to the car. She agreed to drop them off at a spot where Peter could actually walk Michelle home before he went home himself. She decided to skip telling Peter about the job offer for him and Ned, and letting Michelle have all the fun with it. She knew she’d be mercilessly teasing them for a bit.

After dropping them off, Amber drove back home. She was by now mentally planning the next day. She had an appointment scheduled with Tony to test out the prototype sleeves. She had hoped he would come to her place or the cafe for the testing, but he said he needed the sensors at the lab for that. Thank goodness Loki was still in New Asgard, otherwise it would have been difficult for her to be in the same building as him.

She sighed at the thought. She wished things hadn’t gone the way they did. The incident aside, because shit happens, it was the fact that he just up and disappeared for a month without telling anyone where he went. Then came back as if nothing had happened. She could even put the lack of apology aside, he didn’t even have the decency to _look_ sorry for disappearing like that. It still pissed her off. She was too stubborn to forgive and forget, especially when she was left with deep tissue scars and nerve damages to remind her of the whole thing on a daily basis. Not to mention the heaps of medication she had to take now. Painkillers, antidepressants, you name it. She wondered if there would be a time when she could stop taking them. Maybe she should call her doctor and schedule a consultation.

As she parked her car in the underground garage, she locked it up and went into the building and towards the elevator. It was unusually silent and it wasn’t even too late. Her phone showed it was only 7:30pm. Shrugging it off like it was nothing, people might be having dinner or something, she reached her floor and noticed the vase that always stood in the hallway had been broken. That was weird. Maintenance was usually pretty quick at fixing everything. Maybe it had just happened and they hadn’t gotten the chance to clean it up yet.

She took her keys out as she reached her apartment and stopped dead in her tracks as she noticed the door was slightly open. She instinctively reached her side for a weapon and mentally cursed at the absence of any. She hadn’t carried a gun ever since she had retired. Hell, she couldn’t even use a gun anymore. She silently dropped her backpack at the door and arranged her keys between her fingers. She always thought key knuckles to be useless but lo and behold, she was using it right now. It was going to be pretty painful on her already damaged hands if she had to use them, but better safe than sorry. She made another mental note to have some sort of a weapon on her at all times once again.

Slowing down her breathing, she slowly pushed the door open and heard some ruffling. The place was a mess. Furniture turned, her new TV broken on the floor, shattered glass everywhere. She didn’t own any valuables, so she wondered who would be stupid enough to try and rob her. Taking a defensive stance, she slowly proceeded further into the apartment and towards her bedroom. She saw two cloaked figures rummaging through her stuff in the dark, breaking and throwing aside whatever they put their hands on. She figured she could take them on, nerve damage or not, she still had full use of her legs.

She carefully reached the light switch at the door, with the intention to light her way and catch them by surprise. Turning the light switch on, her breath caught in her throat as she was confronted with two Doombots. She didn’t have time to think as they both charged at her, knocking her down. One of them grabbed her by the neck and started choking her. The other one continued its search. Amber struggled against the grip on her neck, trying to pry it off with one hand, while she used the other to try and gauge its eyes with the key knuckles.

Her vision was starting to get blurry and it was difficult to breath. She needed to call for help and very fast. Dropping her hand from the Doombot’s face, she frantically searched for the bullet shaped keychain she had attached to her keys. Once she felt the tip, she pressed it and that was when darkness consumed her.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Bucky was still in the lab alongside Loki and Tony. Strange had returned to the Sanctum by dinner time with the promise to return on the next day. The three of them decided to put a plan of attack and were in the middle of discussing FRIDAY’s findings when Bucky’s phone beeped in a certain way. His heart dropped as he frantically took out his phone, Loki and Tony instantly on their feet. They recognized the beeping sound to be of the alarm keychain Tony had designed for Amber. At first she thought it was pointless, but as a compromise she had agreed that only Bucky would be getting the distress signal if anything were to happen. No need to alert the whole compound if one day she accidentally sat on it and had the alarm go off. Up until that moment, Amber had never used it. Not even at times when she was almost mugged at down town New York. She could hold her own, tremors or not. 

Bucky was hoping he would see a text following the signal that oops, she had finally accidentally sat on it, but no. A big red alarm text was shown on the screen. “Shit, Amber. Loki take me to her!”

Without hesitation, Loki placed a hand over Bucky’s shoulder and teleported them both to her living room. Tony tapped on his arc reactor and his suit assembled around him and he took off as well.

This time after a teleport, Bucky didn’t stumble. He immediately called for Amber, but didn’t get a response. The place was turned upside down. Loki’s heart felt heavy in his chest as he suspected the worst. He frantically looked around for her, heading first to the bedroom as Bucky went into the kitchen.

“Barnes!” he yelled in panic the moment he saw her on the bedroom floor among discarded clothes and broken furniture. Loki knelt next to her, lifting her onto his lap and holding her close to his chest. She was alive. A few scratches here and there, a dark bruise around her neck, possibly a broken clavicle that he could probably fix. But she was alive.

Bucky ran into the bedroom and dropped next to Loki, a trembling hand over Amber’s head. “Kid, wake up. Please.” He whispered, fighting against tears and anger that bubbled up in his chest.

At that moment Tony flew in through the broken windows and removed his face plate. He knelt next to the two men and pointed a gauntleted fist towards Amber. “FRIDAY, vitals.”

A blue beam erupted from the gauntlet and moved his hand over Amber, scanning her head to toe. “Miss Bishop has suffered a mild concussion, low oxygen levels due to applied constriction to the throat, broken left clavicle. Blood pressure is very low. Boss, she needs immediate medical attention.”

“Can you get us all back?” Tony addressed Loki, who was holding Amber in his arms and his gaze fixated on her face. He simply nodded and with that both Tony and Bucky placed a hand over his shoulder as he teleported all of them to the med bay at the compound.

“FRIDAY, get Bruce here asap.” Tony said as he and Bucky helped Loki up while Amber was still in his arms.

Once on his feet, Loki carried her to a nearby bed and gently lay her down, gently brushing her hair off her face. Bucky was standing close by, holding her hand. As Bruce rushed in, FRIDAY started reciting Amber’s vitals and informed him that medical assistance is on the way and ETA is 2 minutes.

“Guys, I suggest you clear the room.” Bruce said, taking out a pen light and checking Amber’s pupils.

“Come on,” Tony said, tapping Bucky’s shoulder.

Bucky nodded and looked at Loki, who was staring at Amber with clenched jaws. He knew right then Loki was mentally plotting a second revenge. And this time Bucky was going to be there from the beginning.

“Tony, we’re going back for some clues.” He turned to Tony, who nodded in return.

“FRIDAY is already scanning the area for CCTV. Keep me posted.” Tony replied as he headed towards the lab.

“Let’s go.” Bucky told Loki and grabbed Loki’s shoulder. They teleported immediately back to Amber’s apartment.

Instinctively, they first went to the bedroom and started looking for clues. Whoever was in here was probably looking for something specific. Only the two men couldn’t figure out what it was. They looked through discarded clothes, broken chairs, wardrobe and couldn’t find anything that would hint them to whatever was happening. Until Loki searched the dresser and found a familiar ornate box that lay open and empty.

“Fuck.” He said, picking up the box and turning to Bucky. “I know what they were looking for.” He held up the empty box for Bucky to see.

“What’s missing from it?” Bucky asked.

“My dagger.”

“Fuck.”

-*-*-*-*-*-

“So what’s special about it?” Tony asked as he examined the box.

Bucky and Loki had returned from Amber’s apartment with the ornate box, which was now taking up space on a desk in Tony’s lab. Before they had gotten into the lab, both men had first made a stop at the med bay to check on Amber and only left when the doctor allowed them to see her for a second, even though she was heavily sedated and still unconscious. They went to the lab and showed the empty box to the engineer, who kept staring at it as if it would grow wings any moment now. He had informed them that FRIDAY was able to find footage of two Doombots roaming around Amber’s apartment complex, which could mean this was their doing. But he couldn’t confirm it because the cameras hadn’t shown them entering or exiting the building. Not that he would think this was just a coincidence. They would simply have to wait for Amber to wake up and give them confirmation.

“It kills instantly.” Loki explained.

“All daggers kill instantly if applied strategically.” Tony raised an eyebrow.

Loki rolled his eyes. “Mine is enchanted and would kill even if you scratch your finger with it.” He huffed. Tony let out a small ‘whoa!’ at the fact.

“First the Silver Dagger and now yours. This is definitely Doom’s doing. Though I wonder what he wants with the daggers. Aren’t electronics his thing?” Bucky couldn’t find any relation between collecting powerful daggers and Doom’s fascination with technology.

“Next thing you know he’d be going for an athame to add to the collection.” Tony supplied, now admiring the box on his desk.

Loki flinched at Tony’s ignorance. “An athame is not meant to be used as a weapon, you fool. Doom has no use for it, even if he tried to enchant it.”

“Still a pointy object.” Tony shrugged.

“Okay, now back to the topic at hand.” Bucky interjected before they went way too far off topic. “What does Doom want with two powerful daggers?” 

“Beats me.” Tony shrugged.

“Whatever he’s planning, he needs to be stopped.” Loki was wrecking his brains trying to figure out any connection between the two daggers. They needed Strange. He would come in the morning, and though that wasn’t soon enough, his mind kept going towards Amber. He worried for her and also for her reaction if she knew he was here. But this time he was not going anywhere.

They were now going in circles with no specific lead. They knew where Doom was staying nowadays, but without a solid plan, it would be stupid to attack. Especially now that they know he could place an EMP-like spell on bombs and electronics, which would knock Loki’s powers into next week. Well, more like the next month, seeing how it went the last time. And he now had two powerful daggers at hand. One powerful enough to kill a sorcerer supreme, and the other kills at the slightest contact. They couldn’t afford a repetition of the last time. They had to be well prepared and unfortunately, that took time and they all hated it.

“I need..” Loki suddenly said, cutting the discussion Bucky and Tony were having. He needed to go check on Amber, despite the falling out they’d had. He couldn’t explain it, or rather, he could very well explain why he had the need to be by her side right now, but he didn’t want to admit it.

“We’ll be here.” Bucky said, knowing exactly what Loki had meant. “I’ll come by later.”

Tony wasn’t sure what was going on, so he just shrugged. “Yeah, I’m guessing it’s gonna be an all-nighter.”

Loki nodded and headed to the elevator so he would go to the med bay.

As he got there, Natasha was standing just outside the room where Amber was, looking at her friend through the glass wall. Loki came to stand next to her.

“The doctor said she’ll be sleeping through the night. But she’ll be alright. There’s a bit of damage to her right hand. Apparently she used it to hold key knuckles.” Natasha spoke softly.

“She always mocked those.” Loki smiled fondly at the memory of the times Amber had mentioned her dislike for key knuckles.

Natasha observed him silently, a little smirk secretly tugging at the corner of her lip. “I suggest you don’t disappear on her this time.” She turned her attention back towards the room.

Loki didn’t say anything. He kept looking at Amber’s sleeping form. Wires attached to her in several places in addition to an IV bag. She looked so peaceful like this. He walked into the room and pulled a chair close to the bed and sat down. He will keep watch over her until she woke up.

Natasha’s lips curled into a smile at what she was witnessing. Maybe these two would finally hash out their differences and the team could be complete again. She wasn’t the sentimental type, but Amber had proved numerous times that she could be trusted by the Widow in certain situations. 

Bucky joined her a few moments after Loki had entered the room. He stood next to her and put his arm around her back as she leaned against him.

“You think they’ll be okay?” she asked.

“They will.”

Soon they were joined by Sam, Wanda and Vision, who silently stood next to them watching Loki at Amber’s side simply holding her bandaged hand and watching her sleep. They were soon joined by Steve, Tony and Pepper. Tony grinning ear-to-ear at the view.

“You look happy.” Wanda pointed out.

“Can’t help it.” Tony shrugged. “I mean look at them.”

“Separated by tragedy only to be reunited by one.” Vision said, holding Wanda’s hand.

“Buck, any idea who did this?” Steve asked.

“Yep.”

“Well?” Sam looked at Bucky expectantly.

Bucky sighed, turning to look at Tony, who nodded. “Doombots.” He simply said. The main plan was not to be shared with everyone without Loki’s knowledge and consent, but this unexpected and definitely unwanted development was not included in the deal and it was necessary to be shared. 

“Fucking Doombots.” Sam mumbled and that earned him a look from Steve, though the captain didn’t comment about the language. Not the time nor the place for that.

“I suggest we let them be for now. We can check in tomorrow after she wakes up.” Steve said.

“We do look like creeps standing here.” Sam noted and started walking away. “I’m off to bed. Let me know if anything happens. Night everyone.”

“We shall retire as well.” Vision announced. “Rest well, everyone.”

“Good night.” Wanda said and walked away with Vision.

Soon everyone had gone to their rooms for the night. Tony headed back to his lab, while Steve stayed next to Bucky outside Amber’s room. The Winter Soldier had his brooding face on again. Steve knew Bucky was deeply concerned about Amber, and most definitely pissed beyond imagination and would soon be seeking retribution. He wouldn’t blame him if he went full Winter Soldier mode on Doom. Heck, he would even be assisting him. He simply hoped that Bucky wouldn’t do anything irrational. Someone needed to keep Loki in check, especially now, and Bucky was the only one capable of that due to their shared -yet significantly different- interest in Amber and her wellbeing.

“Hey Buck, why don’t you go get some sleep?” Steve asked, concern evident in his voice.

“Can’t. Not while she’s like that.”

“She’ll pull through. You can come back in the morning when she’s awake. You need your energy if you’re planning on retribution.”

“Later.”

Steve sighed. He placed a hand over Bucky’s shoulder and squeezed. Bucky turned to look at him, eyes red in anger and trying to hold back tears. Steve had only seen Bucky like this a year ago while Amber was lying unconscious in the ICU.

“She’s going to be okay, Buck. She’s been through worse, much worse.” Steve said, gently. “I’ll go check on Tony, see if I can help. Let me know if you need anything.” 

Bucky nodded and turned his attention back to the room. Once Steve was gone, he opened the door and walked inside. Loki turned to look at him for a moment and turned his attention back to Amber.

“Mind if I stay as well?” Bucky asked as he stood next to the God.

“I think she’d prefer that over me being here.”

“Bullshit.” 

Loki chuckled, running his thumb over Amber’s bruised knuckles. “I sure hope so.” He whispered as if scared that she might hear him.

“I propose a deal.” Bucky said, his eyes fixated on Amber while he addressed Loki.

“I’m listening,” Loki’s gaze was also fixated on her.

“Once we get him, I get first dibs. Then you take your turn and finish him off.”

Loki nodded. “As agonisingly painful as possible.” He vowed, Bucky’s hand came to rest on his shoulder, giving it a firm squeeze in solidarity.

“And as agonisingly slow as possible.”

“You have a deal.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Anddd we have some drama.. I'll go write a bit of Art of Life to lift up my mood. Work was crap today.
> 
> I love comments, just so you know :)


	6. Chapter 6

As the first rays of light started illuminating the otherwise bland room, Amber stirred and slowly opened her eyes. She looked at the white ceiling for a moment, feeling disoriented and in pain. Quite a lot of pain, actually. She wondered if she had been run over by a tank. Her vision was blurry, so she blinked a few times to clear it. Once succeeded she realized she felt her hand holding something cool and soft. Turning her head to the side, she saw that it was a hand. A pale hand attached to a pale person with jet black shoulder length hair attached to a head that was resting on an arm over the edge of her bed. She furrowed her eyebrows at the sight. She couldn’t be dreaming, if the massive pain in her shoulder was any indication. She looked to the other side and saw Bucky sleeping sideways in an armchair, legs hanging over the arm rest. She turned back to the black hair on the side of her bed. What was Loki doing here? Why was Loki here? Why was she still holding his hand.. oh wait, she wasn’t. He was holding hers instead. She tried to sit up by propping herself on her elbows but gave up on the notion as a sharp pain shot through her arms and up to her shoulder. She shut her eyes tightly and hissed as the memories of the previous night came flooding into her mind; and she involuntarily grasped Loki’s hand tightly.

The tight hold on his knuckles and the hissing sound were enough to wake him up. He sat up straight, eyes still closed and ran his free hand through his hair, moving it away from his face. He then rubbed his eyes before opening them and immediately being met with a set of hazel eyes under furrowed brows staring back at him.

He didn’t say anything and simply stared back with a lump in his throat. His heart beat frantically in his chest. He had missed looking into those eyes for such a long time and it was all his fault. His vision slowly became blurry as he started tearing up. He couldn’t explain the relief he felt upon seeing her awake. No matter if she would kick him out, he at least got to see her eyes again.

The hold on his hand tightened and he felt a thumb running over his own knuckles. He looked down at their hands and that caused a single tear to flow down his cheek. When he looked back at her he found a little smile on her tired and bruised face. 

“You stayed this time.” She whispered, her voice a bit hoarse and her throat burnt.

Loki stood up, still holding her hand and leaned closer to her. He cupped her cheek with a trembling hand and gently ran his thumb over the skin. “And I wish to stay, if you’d allow me.” He smiled softly, more tears flowing freely by now.

She leaned into his touch, closing her eyes as if to memorize the feeling. She wasn’t sure if it were the drugs in her system speaking or not, but she didn’t have the energy to think about it just yet. “I would.” She said, opening her eyes again to look at him with a tired smile of her own.

He leaned down and placed a soft kiss on her forehead, then pulled his chair even closer and sat down. Still one hand holding hers, while the other softly caressed her jawline. His tears had stopped flowing by now. He simply looked at her as she closed her eyes. She was feeling weak and tired. Couldn’t keep her eyes open for long. The sedation needed some time to get out of her system and it was way too early to be awake.

“You’ll hurt your back like that.” She whispered as she opened her eyes again. “Come lay next to me.” She let go of his hand for a moment and slowly pushed herself aside a bit to make space for him, hissing slightly at her aching limbs while she made sure she didn’t lay on the side of the fractured clavicle.

Loki knew this was the drugs she was infused with speaking, but he didn’t dare to object. If she would allow him to get close to her, he was going to take full advantage of it and damn all consequences. He climbed onto the bed and lay on his side facing her. He snaked an arm under her head so now she was snuggling against his chest and his chin rested over her head. He pulled the thin blanket over them and took her hand again in his to hold it between them as they both fell asleep.

Bucky opened his eyes and grunted at his strained back. He should have slept on the sofa instead of the armchair. He checked the watch on his wrist, it was almost 8. The sun was brightly shining into the room by then and the only sound to be heard were those of the machines and air conditioning. He sat up straight and stretched his back and neck. He really should have slept on the sofa. Despite the super serum, he really felt old in moments like these, even though he technically was. Glancing towards the hospital bed, he raised an eyebrow and smirked as he saw his two friends sleeping in each other’s arms. He felt giddy with excitement and could barely keep himself from yelling ‘fuck yeah!’ in delight. Whenever and however that had happened was not important. The important thing was that it _fucking finally did!_

He would have stayed in the room waiting for Amber to wake up, but seeing her curled up in Loki’s arms meant that she already had at some point, which also meant that she was on her way to recovery. Doom can wait a bit. For now he needed to go find someone to get excited with. He took his phone out and snapped a picture of the two and then carefully tip-toed out. Once he carefully closed the door behind him, he looked at one of FRIDAY’s sensors. “FRIDAY, dim the windows to give them some privacy. Don’t let anyone barge in unless they are awake and informed first.”

“Sure, sergeant Barnes.” Came the prompt reply.

Bucky found himself at Natasha’s door. He knocked and waited for her to open. When nothing happened he knocked again. 

“FRIDAY, is Tasha awake?”

“She is,” came Natasha’s reply from behind.

“Now you know.” The AI’s response followed immediately.

Bucky beamed at her, which made Natasha instinctively smile. He didn’t say anything and simply showed her the photo he just took. Her eyes widened in surprise as she grinned.

“Best news of the day and the day hasn’t even started!” she whispered in excitement, not wanting to wake anyone up in case they were still asleep.

“I still can’t believe it.” His cheeks were starting to hurt from the grin that had plastered itself on his face.

“I’m so happy for them.” She smiled as she looked at the photo again. “Send me a copy. In fact, send everyone a copy. Screw privacy. We’ve all been fighting for this to happen one way or another. We’ve earned it.”

“Aaaand done.” He said as he sent the photo to everyone with the caption _‘please don’t wake them up. FRIDAY will let us know when they’re up.’_

He immediately received a reply from Tony. _‘kitchen. NOW! :D’_ which made him laugh. “We’re being summoned to the kitchen.”

“I was about to head there anyway.”

“Explain.” Tony said with a huge grin on his face the moment Bucky and Natasha walked into the kitchen. 

“I spent the night in the room and I woke up to that. No clue when or how.” Bucky grinned back.

“Think we’d be murdered if we teased him about it?” Sam joined them and grabbed a mug off the counter to make himself some coffee.

“Probably, but I couldn’t care less.” Natasha replied.

“I suggest we wait with breakfast until they’re awake and we all go eat there.” Tony suggested.

“Dude, give them some space!” Sam laughed at the idea.

“They can have the space once Amber is feeling better.” Tony replied, taking a sip of his coffee.

“I’m with Tony on this.” Natasha said.

“On what?” Wanda joined them in the kitchen as well, followed by Vision. From their looks, neither of them had heard, or rather seen the news.

“Check your phone.” Sam said, grinning like an excited child.

Wanda gasped in delight as she checked her phone and saw the photo, she turned to look at Vision who gave her a warm smile. “This is fantastic! The whole team is back together!” she exclaimed happily.

“Let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” Bucky said, the grin had still not left his face. “I know we’re all rooting for them, but let’s not push ourselves onto them. It would either piss them off, or.. no, actually that’s basically it. It would piss them off.” He shrugged.

“I say we go piss them off with breakfast.” Sam downed the rest of his coffee and went to the fridge and started taking out breakfast items.

“I can make waffles and pancakes.” Vision supplied and went ahead to start with those.

Bucky shook his head as he took his coffee mug and walked out of the kitchen. There was no stopping them now. He hoped they wouldn’t overwhelm Amber or Loki by barging in on them with breakfast like that. Good thing he had requested FRIDAY inform him once they were awake, so only then they would go visit.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Loki opened his eyes slowly. He couldn’t remember when it was the last time he had slept this well. He looked down to his chest and saw Amber curled up against him, still asleep. He didn’t dare to move as to not wake her up. She looked so peaceful that way and definitely earned a break and some rest. They were still holding hands. He ran his thumb over the back of her bandaged hand in gentle circles as he closed his eyes. A part of him couldn’t believe it. Maybe whatever sedative they have given her made her delusional and when it wears off she’ll kick him out? Hopefully not. He’ll simply wait for her to wake up. Until then he’ll just enjoy the closeness.

It didn’t take long until Amber started waking up. She rubbed her itchy nose against Loki’s chest and tried to snuggle even closer. The pain in her body caused by the movement made her groan. Loki had opened his eyes the moment Amber stirred. Though the moment she groaned all his senses went on high alert.

“Talk to me.” He instructed softly.

“Hold me closer. Seems I can’t move without everything hurting.” She groaned, which made Loki chuckle as he simply pulled her closer, making sure he didn’t put any strain on her collarbone. “Mm, better,” she mumbled, keeping her face buried in his chest, which made Loki smile.

“Good morning mr. Odinson, miss Bishop,” FRIDAY spoke once she established both of them were awake.

“Hi FRIDAY,” came Amber’s muffled voice.

“Good morning,” Loki said, his attention on Amber’s curled up figure against him.

“Mr. Barnes has instructed me to notify him once both of you were awake. Would you find it convenient to do so?”

“You can inform Barnes. Do it privately, please.” Loki instructed.

“It also seems that the team wants to have breakfast with you. Mr. Barnes would like to know how long should they give you until they come in.”

Amber sighed. She should have known this would happen. Everyone had spoken to her more than once about patching things up with Loki, and it looks like Bucky had found out they were in bed together and couldn’t keep it to himself. The guy is a professional assassin trained in secrecy, and the first thing he does is notify the whole team about her and Loki being in the same bed.

“I only need 5 minutes to sit up and check my face in a mirror or something,” she whispered to Loki.

“FRIDAY, please inform Barnes they can come in half an hour.” Loki said and dropped a kiss on Amber’s head.

“You’re an angel.” Her voice came muffled again and Loki snorted at the proclamation.

“I am no such thing.”

“Too late. I already said it.” She smiled as she nuzzled his chest. “I wish I didn’t have to move. Everything hurts.”

“Then don’t move.”

“Nah, it’s okay. You’ll have to help me, though.”

“Anything you need.”

Loki sat up, minding his movements so he wouldn’t cause Amber any additional discomfort. She sighed at the loss of contact and turned to lay on her back. She held her hand up for Loki to hold, which he did, and grabbing onto him for leverage she slowly sat up as well, groaning in the process.

“Could you raise the bed into a seating position?”

He hopped off the bed and after a bit of tweaking back and forth with the buttons of the controller, Amber sat back against the raised mattress with a sigh. The sitting position was comfortable enough, but the stupid pain just didn’t stop. She wondered if it would make people angry if she pressed the painkiller button on the IV line and forgot to lift her finger off of it? It was very tempting right now, though painkiller could also mean possibly falling asleep. Judging from how drowsy she still felt, she wouldn’t need any medication to fall asleep.

Loki stood next to the bed, concern written all over his face. He didn’t like seeing her in pain like this. Unlike a year ago, after the incident that basically crippled her, this time he could do something about it. He wondered if he should just go for it or ask first. Technically, if he healed her without her consent, it wouldn’t be so bad. He wouldn’t be able to heal her old scars without some key ingredients from Asgard, but he could at least help with the pain. Though he realized magic had been a part of the culprit that had caused all this and she might have some reservations about it.

“What’s wrong?” Amber looked at Loki’s concerned face.

“I don’t like that you’re in so much pain.” He simply stated.

She pulled the covers aside and tapped on the spot next to her for him to join her. “I’ll live. I haven’t exactly been pain-free for the past year. This is just a fresh batch.” She chuckled, trying to make light of things.

Loki got on the bed and sat next to her while she threw the cover over his lap. “I can help, you know, at least with the pain. If you’d allow me.”

“It’s not that bad,” she lied through her teeth and he knew it. “If it gets too much, I’ll let you know.” She smiled at him and grabbed his hand that was resting on his thigh to give it a squeeze.

“I could do it without you realizing it.” He smiled, looking at their joined hands.

“But you’d rather stay sitting here next to me than being kicked out.” She gave him a toothy grin.

He laughed at that. “Indeed, I do.” Oh how he loved seeing her smile like that. He had always admired her resolve and that was one of the things that attracted him to her. He placed his other hand over their joined ones and rubbed the back of her hand with his thumb.

She leaned against his shoulder and closed her eyes for a bit. This felt too familiar. Too comfortable even. Sitting next to each other in a hospital bed while one was recovering from an injury after a mission. It was somehow their thing. They found comfort in each other, which had been lost for the past year. Amber was not the ‘let’s talk about it’ kind and neither was he. Hell, even Bucky wasn’t the type. Silent agreements worked best for them. Maybe that’s why Stark had them team up for missions, which ended up them becoming their own sort of a sub-unit. 

“Mister Odinson, Miss Bishop, sergeant Barnes would like me to inform you they are on their way. ETA 2 minutes 25 seconds.” FRIDAY announced.

“Thank you, FRIDAY.” Loki responded. For a moment he thought of getting off the bed for Amber’s sake. The team will be making comments about them, but he figured if they get out of line, both of them were more than capable of shutting them up. Besides, by him sitting on her right side, gave them the advantage of less hugs for her, as her left arm was put in a tight slinger because of the collarbone fracture.

“How does my face look?” she suddenly asked. “Any big giant bruises I can make fun of?”

“Truth or my version of the truth?”

“Truth.”

Loki huffed. “Alright, you look like you were ran over by a tank led by a bilgesnipe.”

“Ew. Your version of the truth, then.”

“You look as fierce as ever.” 

“I’ll take that.” She smirked as he chuckled.

Bucky was the first to walk in through the door with a huge grin on his face. He went directly to Amber, who was smiling at him, and cupped her face between his palms.

“You had me worried, kid.” He said softly and kissed her forehead. “How are you feeling?”

“In pain, but also good.” She replied, looking at him with a warm smile.

“I’ll take good.” He kissed her forehead again. “I’d hug you, but you know, collarbone and stuff.” He shrugged, apologetically.

“I feel hugged, old man. Thanks.”

“Out of the way, Robocop, give us ordinary folk some room to say hi.” Tony waltzed in, followed by the rest of the team.

“Hey everyone,” Amber turned to look at her friends as Bucky moved aside.

“You couldn’t wait to jump into bed, huh?” Sam looked at Loki with a huge grin.

Loki’s shoulders tensed as he was about to respond to that, but Amber had his hand still in hers, so she squeezed it to keep him from saying something.

“Not the time, Sam.” Steve said. He gave Sam a look as he pushed a food cart in. “I hope it’s alright we decided to have breakfast with you guys.”

“It’s very sweet of you, Steve.” Amber felt like her heart would be bursting at any moment now from the amount of love and care her teammates had for her.

“So, Reindeer Games, you gonna stay there or you gonna eat?” Tony grabbed a bagel with cream cheese.

“I don’t need to eat.” Loki simply replied, glaring at Tony. He wasn’t about to move from his spot for just food.

“Yes, you do.” Pepper said, handing him a plate with waffles drizzled with some honey. She gave Amber one as well, who took it and placed it on her lap. Loki simply looked at Tony with a smirk, at which Tony rolled his eyes.

They ate in silence, Loki cutting Amber’s waffles into small pieces so she could just pick them up with a fork. Bucky looked at them with a subtle smile tugging at the corner of his lips. This was good, he thought. Maybe the both of them could tell him how they managed to get from avoiding each other at all costs to sitting in the same bed and Loki helping Amber with her food.

He didn’t have to wait long, though. Vision, who didn’t need to eat at all, had nothing better to do. And he was generally a curious creature.

“If I may inquire, to my knowledge, just until yesterday Amber wouldn’t be setting foot into the compound while Loki was here. And now..” he motioned at them, “I don’t understand.”

Amber turned her gaze to Loki, a warm smile on her lips. “This time he stayed.” Loki looked at her as a warm smile that was reserved for only her graced his lips as well.

“You have your answer,” Loki turned to look at Vision, his smile now less warm but not unfriendly.

“And here I thought we were going to have to call in the cavalry to get the two of you to make up” Sam said, biting onto a pancake.

Loki sighed. He couldn’t understand the mortal need for getting two people to talk to each other, but nevertheless, he was grateful for this team of mortals being so caring, despite him wanting to rip their throats out occasionally.

“If we only knew it was this easy.” Tony mumbled, earning him an elbow shoved into his side by Pepper. “What? It’s the truth. Well, minus the attack, of course.” He looked at Amber apologetically, who just shook her head, smirking.

“Hey kid, I’m about to call Michelle to let her know you’re not going to work for a few days. Got any message for her?” Bucky inquired, sipping on his coffee.

“See if Peter and Ned would be there to help her, otherwise she can have a day off. We’ll see how things will go by tomorrow.” She replied.

“Alright.” Bucky got out of the room to make the call. Amber watched him leave and sighed as she played with the pieces of waffles on her plate. She wished she could go to the cafe today, but instead she was bedridden. She knew Michelle was more than capable of handling things on her own, but it didn’t stop her from worrying about her business.

“Everything alright?” Loki whispered next to her.

She nodded, “just thinking about work.”

“Work can wait until you recover.” 

“Speaking of which, Loki, we’ll need you at the lab today.” Tony said, popping an olive into his mouth. “Got some work to do.” He looked pointedly at the God, hoping he wouldn’t have to spell it out for him.

Loki nodded his acknowledgement. “Yes.” He sighed. He wished he wouldn’t have to leave Amber’s side, but there was revenge to plan and execute. “I’d like someone to stay with Amber, if possible.”

“I can take care of myself.” She huffed.

“Right.” Tony said, raising an eyebrow. “I’d hate to point out the obvious, but I don’t think you’re in any shape for self-defence there, kid.”

Amber squinted her eyes at him. “You underestimate me, Stark.” She retorted, obviously irritated at the notion of being defenceless. “I’m only staying in bed because I don’t have enough caffeine in me just yet.”

“If you say so.” Tony smirked.

“Okay, if you two are done bickering, I’d suggest we wrap it up here and give Amber some time to rest.” Pepper interjected.

“I can come later to spend some time with Amber,” Wanda said, turning to look at Amber. “If it’s alright with you.”

“You don’t need to, but it’s very thoughtful of you.” She replied with a smile. She liked the young witch and thought this was a nice opportunity to spend some time with her. They haven’t done that for a while.

“I’d like to. It gets boring with having not much to do.” Wanda said, smiling back.

“I can join as well.” Vision added.

“We’ll be needing you in the lab.” Tony said, before either women could respond.

Vision gave Tony an inquiring look, to which Tony mouthed ‘later’ and Vision simply nodded. “Alright.” He simply responded.

Loki was pleased with the fact that Wanda was going to spend the day with Amber. While the compound was highly secured, one could never be sure whether Doom would attempt anything and he would rather have Amber out of harm’s way while she was vulnerable. Better safe than sorry.

As everyone started putting away their utensils, they slowly started walking out of the room with promises to come later during the day. As the last of them left, Amber and Loki were yet again the only ones in the room, though not for long as Bucky returned with a smile on his face.

“Dude, Michelle was pissed.” He chuckled.

“What’s she pissed at?” Amber raised an eyebrow.

“Surely not at Amber?” Loki wondered what that was about.

“No, no, not at Amber. Actually at the Doombots. Didn’t know a teenager could curse like that.” Bucky found the teenager’s reaction to the news to be endearing. “She said Peter and Ned will be coming to help today and after they close they’ll drop by.”

“That’s nice of them.” Amber said with a warm smile. She made the right choice by hiring Michelle months ago.

Bucky came to sit at the foot of the bed, facing both Loki and Amber. “So, how are you feeling?” he asked her.

“Good.” She replied, shrugging and regretting it with a hiss as she forgot about her fracture for a moment.

“Clearly.” Bucky gave her a look. “Now, really, how are you feeling.”

She sighed, rolling her eyes. “Okay, dad, I feel like shit. Everything hurts and I’ve got an arm trapped in a slinger and it’s annoying the shit out of me. And apparently I look like shit.” She glared at Loki for a moment, who just shrugged, apologetically.

“Well, that sucks.” Bucky said. “Anything we can do to help?”

She shook her head. “Not really. I guess I’ll feel better by tomorrow. I’ll pump some painkiller in the evening. It always make me drowsy, and I feel just that already since I woke up. So, I don’t want to take any extra during the day if I don’t have to.” She eyed the remote button hanging from the IV pole.

“Maybe resting during the day would actually help ease the pain.” Loki said, “especially since you don’t want me to use a healing spell.”

“Nah, don’t want to.”

“Amber, you shouldn’t have to go through pain like this.” Bucky said.

“Heh, been doing that the past year. I’m an expert by now.” She snorted and leaned back against the mattress, closing her eyes.

Loki looked at her and then onto his lap with guilt written all over his face. It was all his fault and there was nothing he could do about it. Well, aside from taking revenge, which he was working on alongside Barnes and Stark.

Bucky noticed Loki’s gaze turning downwards. He recognized the guilt in the God’s eyes. He wondered if Amber’s words were a jab at him or just a slip of the tongue. Though knowing her, she was just stating a fact and it wasn’t really aimed at Loki, otherwise she would have worded it differently and would have made sure to tell it to his face instead of the off-handed way she did.

Amber realized her words must have stung, for the silence that followed was deafening. Without opening her eyes, she slid her hand to grab Loki’s and squeeze it lightly, in hopes that he would realize what she said wasn’t aimed at him. He should know her better than that, or at least, she hoped he would. She will definitely have a word with him once she’s feeling a bit better. Being in so much pain and holding a serious conversation was never a good combination. Loki looked at the hand holding his and he turned his gaze to Bucky, who was smiling at them. Loki smiled back. Thank goodness he was mistaken with his assumption, though the guilt was still there, hiding in the back of his mind.

Bucky got up, and walked to the other side of the bed. The sound of him moving prompted Amber to open her eyes and look at him. “I’m gonna go to the lab now. Got some work to do.” He said and leaned to kiss her forehead. “I’ll come back later.”

“Alright.” She gave him a warm smile and turned to Loki, “don’t you need to go see Stark at the lab, too?”

“I can do it later.” Loki replied.

“I feel like taking a nap. You can use the time for whatever it is he needs your help with.”

Loki looked at Bucky, who nodded at him. “I’ll wait for you outside.” Bucky said and left the room.

“I’ll be back as soon as I’m done with Stark.” Loki promised, raising Amber’s hand to his lips and placing a kiss over her knuckles. It made her smile.

“Whether you’re done or not by then, I’d like to have lunch with you and Bucky. No one else, if possible.” She said softly.

Loki looked at her for a moment, trying to read her face and failing. She was very difficult to read sometimes, which was, yet again, one of the things that attracted him to her. He nodded and brushed a strand of hair off her face, running his thumb across her jawline. “We will join you for lunch.” he said, cupping her face and softly kissing her forehead. “If you need anything at any moment, let FRIDAY tell me.”

“I’ll probably be asleep, but if I do, I’ll let you know.” She smiled. “Now go, I need my beauty sleep.”

That made him chuckle. He wanted to say more, but decided against it. It wasn’t the time, nor the place for it. He will do it at another point, when more appropriate. For now he helped her by lowering the bed and tucking her in before he went to join Bucky on the way to the lab.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading! Let me know what you think :)


	7. Chapter 7

“We got a hit.” Tony announced as Bucky and Loki walked into the lab. “FRIDAY, show us the location.”

“Sure, Boss.” FRIDAY promptly responded as a map of the location showed on one of the screens. “Victor von Doom has been last seen two days ago at an abandoned warehouse just outside of Teterboro, New Jersey.”

“Strategically locating himself close to an airport.” Bucky said.

“I didn’t even know there were abandoned warehouses in that area.” Tony rubbed his chin in thought.

“There aren’t. This seems to be a recent construct and is shielded from view. I was only able to find it because of an unknown radiation spike.”

“Can we find out whether he’s there right now?” Loki spoke, taking a step forward as he glared onto the screen, his blood practically boiling in his veins.

“I’m still trying to breach into their security system. An unknown firewall is blocking me. Unable to perform a heat signature scan.” FRIDAY said.

“I bet he’s using magic to do that. No security system can hold up against FRIDAY.”

“Your trust in my abilities is amazing, Boss.”

Tony beamed at that. “I built you, of course I’d trust your abilities.”

Loki rolled his eyes at the self praise. “Can we get back to the matter at hand? How long until we can find out?”

“Can’t say for sure. Might be anything between a couple of hours to a couple of days.” FRIDAY replied.

“Can’t you do anything about it?” Bucky asked the God.

“I might be able to if I were there. But that would mean Doom finding out and potentially jeopardizing everything.”

“Let’s send Natasha.” Tony suggested.

“Absolutely not!” both Loki and Bucky said simultaneously. The looked at each other with raised eyebrows.

“No need to add another to the list of people who know what we’re doing here.” Loki added quickly, cautiously looking at Bucky, who shrugged and nodded his agreement to the statement. Though Loki didn’t believe for one second that Bucky was thinking the same way he had worded the sentence, but he didn’t feel like pressing the matter right now. 

Bucky let out an exasperated sigh. “Guys, you keep forgetting Tasha isn’t the only trained spy-assassin on the team.”

“Who else we got?” Tony asked without looking at him, typing a code on a holo screen.

Bucky blinked in disbelief, looking left and right at an invisible audience. “Can you believe this guy?”

Loki rolled his eyes and before he could form an insult, Tony threw a pair of ear pieces at Bucky. “Haven’t forgotten. You’re just being impatient.” He grinned. “Now, one ear piece at a time. The other one is a backup in case the first one gets fried. Both have integrated trackers, already activated. In case you got caught and the first one is removed and destroyed or something, we’d still be able to track you with the other one. If the first one is destroyed but you’re not caught, let us know. Wouldn’t want to send the whole place to hell over an ear piece while we have a bigger fish to fry.”

“Thanks for your concern.” Bucky mumbled, putting both devices in his pocket. “I’ll go change into gear and head out. Although, we should probably get Strange here to portal me there. I don’t think Loki teleporting anywhere close to Doom would be smart, for the time being.”

“Way ahead of you, buddy. He’ll be here in 10. Go get ready.” Tony said, giving Bucky a toothy grin. Bucky just shook his head and went to put on his fighting gear.

Loki was starting to become restless. He wanted to do something, but at the moment the only thing he could do was to wait. A year ago he had learned the hard way that deriving from a plan was the worst course of action and he didn’t want a repeat of that.

A portal opened in the lab and Strange walked in through it before it closed. “Who are we sending.” He said, looking from Stark to Loki.

“Barnes.” Loki said, grabbing a chair and sitting down. He knew he was ready to jump in the moment Bucky would need his help. It was a sort of an unspoken agreement between them. He hoped it wouldn’t be needed, but if it were, he’d be there in an instant, even if it meant for their plans to be revealed.

“Alright,” Strange said, leaning against a table. “Do we know anything else other than a location?”

“That their security system is a piece of shit and FRIDAY is working on hacking it.” Tony quipped, obviously irritated by that single detail.

“Hmm..” Strange nodded. There wasn’t much for him to do in terms of assisting with the technology. He would love to pick Doom’s brain to find out what he does to connect his magic to the devices he uses, even though it was probably mentioned in one of the dark magic books at the library in the Sanctum. He should make some time to read those at some point. Could be useful one day.

“I’m ready.” Bucky said as he came back, dressed in his Winter Soldier attire with guns attached to his side and an automatic rifle at his back.

“Good.” Strange said, standing up. “Stark, coordinates? And an image, if you have one.”

“There,” Tony swiped on the screen to reveal the coordinates, “and there.” He swiped on another screen and brought up a satellite image of the location.

“Alright, I’ll be opening the portal right here.” Strange pointed at some trees nearby the building. “Would work best to at least visually conceal you and the portal upon arrival. If you manage to leave safely, come to this point and let us know. I’ll open a portal for you to come back.”

“Understood.” Bucky nodded.

“It goes without saying, if you get caught, give me a signal and I’ll teleport you out.” Loki added.

“Thanks. I hope we won’t need that.” Bucky nodded his appreciation.

Once the plan was finalized, Strange opened a portal and Bucky, turning once more to Loki and giving him a thumbs up with both hands and a toothy grin, he stepped through and Strange closed it immediately.

“And now we wait.” Tony mumbled as he turned his attention to the screens. “FRIDAY, I need eyes on Bucky wherever possible.”

“Sure, Boss. Can’t promise much, though. There’s still some interference.”

“I know you’re doing your best.” He replied fondly to the AI.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Amber woke up after an hour of napping. She rubbed her eyes with one hand, while the other still neatly wrapped around her torso in the slinger. She groaned at the pain in her shoulder and wished for it to stop. She reached to the side and absentmindedly pressed the button for the painkiller. It wasn’t like she wasn’t used to living with pain, if the past year had been any indication. But the pain in her shoulder was of a new kind, still fresh, which is why it bothered her. She remained still and closed her eyes as she waited for the drug to take its course, while thinking about what happened earlier in the morning.

She had awakened with Loki by her bedside. A part of her felt that she had let him off the hook pretty easily, which was quite uncharacteristic for her. She blamed it on the drugs they have been injecting her with since last night. It will become clear soon enough, and she will probably have a talk with Loki. She wasn’t the “let’s talk about it” kind, but there was no way she would let him get away with it that easily. Yes, him being there when she woke up put him in her good graces, but only at the very far edge of it. While he still owed her an apology, she was also curious why she was hanging on to that one particular thing. She figured it could most probably because Loki never apologized to anyone for anything, no matter how grand or minor. Instead, he always had an excuse or an explanation. She wondered what it was in her case. She’s been running various scenarios in her head for the past year, from being injured to just being a dick, none of them seeming plausible.

She tried to sit up, but gave up instantly when pain shot through her shoulder. She could ask FRIDAY to take charge of the bed and raise the mattress to a sitting position, but decided against it. Maybe a second nap was in order, at least she could suffer less that way.

But being as stubborn as she was, she gritted her teeth as she pushed herself to sit up. Letting out a deep, shaky breath once she managed it. Damn the pain! Why was the pain medication so slow? Sighing, she looked around the room. Nothing much in there. A sofa, an armchair, a couple of chairs and a coffee table. Monitors and machines. A typical med bay room with a glass wall and a sliding door on one side, and the other three were just regular walls with a single big window on one.

She reached for the buttons at the side of the bed, conveniently positioned on her right side and pressed them to bring the mattress up. Once satisfied with the position, she leaned back against it and stared at the chair next to the bed, where Loki had been sitting on before she asked him to join her in bed. Maybe she should forgive and forget, even though she had a year-long history of saying the scars literally run too deep to be able to do so. But when and how would it stop? She was quite vindictive against people harming those whom she loved and cared about, but this was Loki. He was one of her two best friends and the person she had feelings for. Logic told her she shouldn’t be vindictive and should try to forgive him, but how could she do that when he hadn’t tried to ever show remorse or even throw in a half-assed ‘I’m sorry’? At this point he didn’t even need to be sincere about it, if he would just fucking _say_ the words!

Her thoughts were interrupted when she suddenly saw three teenagers at the glass wall waving at her. She grinned at them and waved at them to come in.

“Hey, you guys!” she greeted them.

“Hey,” Michelle walked in first, coming to stop at the bed and giving Amber a light hug. “Bucky told me you got hurt last night. I’m so sorry, if we had stayed with you longer..”

“Don’t go there, kid. None of us could have known.” Amber smiled at her.

“I know, but still!”

“Hey Miss Bishop, we got these for you.” Ned handed her a bouquet of wild flowers.

“Aww, you guys shouldn’t have!” she sniffed at the flowers and suddenly sneezed. Ned’s eyebrows shot to his forehead. Michelle fought hard to cover a giggle. ”Oops.. I may be allergic to wild flowers.”

“Shit, I’m so sorry, Miss Bishop! I had no idea! Here, I’ll take them away. Do you need anything for the allergy? Water maybe?”

Ned was easily put through a panic mode when you pushed the right buttons. Amber couldn’t let him suffer for long, so she started laughing. “Oh my dear Ned, you just make it too easy! I’m just messing with you, kid. I’m not allergic.” She grinned.

Ned sighed in relief, a hand over his heart. “Thank goodness for that! You had me there, Miss Bishop!” he grinned at her.

“You always fall for these kind of things.” Peter poked his friend’s side, grinning.

“I know. Can’t help it!”

“Would you guys want a drink? I feel like coffee.” Amber said.

“I’d like some water.” Michelle replied as she took the flowers from Amber and put them on the side table before taking a seat on the chair Loki had been occupying the night before.

“Nothing for me, a soda for Ned.” Peter said as he sat at the foot of the bed. Ned nodded his agreement and sat on the other side at the foot of the bed.

“FRIDAY?” Amber looked at a sensor.

“A nurse will be coming soon with the requested beverages and a vase for the flowers.”

“Thank you.” She turned her attention to the teenagers surrounding her. “So, did you tell them?” she looked at Michelle.

“Yeah. Should’ve seen their reactions.” Michelle grinned. Peter and Ned looked at each other, grinning as well.

“Well? How did it go?”

“Let’s just say she scared the shit out of us by telling us you had something to say about us helping with the cafe the other day. Our minds instantly went to having screwed things up and we were doomed.” Peter said, nervously running a hand through his hair. “In our defence, I’ve seen you angry in action, and didn’t want to experience it.”

Amber laughed heartily at that, causing her to wince at the pain. The teenagers gasped and Michelle stood up, ready to call for help.

“No, no, it’s okay. It’s the stupid shoulder being stupid. I’m fine.” She breathed out as she tried to smile through the pain. “But thank you for worrying.”

“I’m not worried.” Michelle shrugged, sitting down quickly like it wasn’t her who jumped up ready to help.

“If you say so.” Amber gave her a knowing look. If it were possible, she would adopt this girl and claim her as her own flesh and blood.

A nurse came in with their drinks. She handed the teenagers theirs first and then handed Amber her coffee. She then arranged the flowers into the vase and moved on to check the monitors and the IV bag. Once done, she excused herself and left.

Amber took a sip of the hot liquid and sighed in content. “This doesn’t taste as good as the stuff we have at the cafe, but it’ll do.” She mumbled.

“Nothing is as good as the stuff we have.” Michelle smiled.

“True.” Amber grinned.

“We’ll be opening in the afternoon today.” Michelle continued. “The guys will be starting today as well, given the circumstances.”

“You could have taken the day off, you know.”

“I know, but didn’t want to.” Michelle shrugged. “Felt the right thing to do.”

“And we’re happy to help!” Peter said. Ned nodded earnestly. 

“Alright then. Just don’t stay open for too long. We don’t know if the culprits would target the cafe as well. They seemed to know what they were doing.”

“I can protect us and the cafe if it came to it.” Peter said solemnly.

“I know you can, Peter. But imagine the amount of repairs that I’d have to do after. I’d rather not.” Amber grinned.

“Yeah, that would be a bummer.” Peter grinned back.

They sat there talking and laughing. It was a nice distraction for Amber. The boys were excited for the job they have been offered and were looking forward to starting. Michelle was to make sure they didn’t burn the place down, even if it was practically impossible since they didn’t use any flammables at the cafe. They could ruin a drink, but that was easily fixed. Michelle would be in charge of making the beverages and the boys would be doing the serving. She asked Michelle to order a couple of aprons for them, with one or two spares. They also played around with the idea of some uniforms, to make them look professional. Though the idea was soon shot down unanimously, due to the fact that the cafe was supposed to radiate friendliness and cosiness, and not something where only the elite would go to.

Around lunch time Loki came into the room holding a tray of food. The teenagers froze upon seeing him. Amber hadn’t told them at all what had happened in the morning. She gave Loki a little smile as she watched him walk into the room, ignoring the three teenagers as he placed the tray on the coffee table and turned to Peter and Ned who were sitting at the foot of the bed.

“If the two of you don’t mind, I’d like to use the overbed table and you’re in the way.” He said, grabbing a plate with food and placing it over said table.

Peter and Ned quickly jumped off the bed and stepped aside as Loki pushed the table close to Amber. He nodded his acknowledgement to Michelle, who nodded back, and went to grab a plate of his own.

“Will you three be joining us, or?” he said, pulling a chair close to the other side of the bed and sitting down.

“FRIDAY, have some lunch sent for three.” Amber said before anyone could react. The three teenagers were still dumbstruck that none of them said anything. Loki looked at the three and then at Amber, who was grinning as she grabbed a fork and started eating.

“Well, that answers your question.” Michelle finally spoke, looking pointedly at Loki, who just nodded and popped a cherry tomato into his mouth.

“Uhm.. what’s.. I mean, what’s he.. what?” Peter stuttered, waving a hand in Loki’s direction.

“Sit down, kid. And I’ll tell you.” Amber said, motioning at the foot of the bed with her fork. Peter and Ned sat back down on their previous spot while waiting for their food to arrive.

“Loki stayed the night.” Amber said, which made Peter raise an eyebrow and look at Loki, who simply continued eating.

“So you two are good now?” Ned asked.

Loki stopped chewing for a moment and turned to look at Amber, who was looking back at him. Were they good now? They didn’t touch the subject of their past, other than Amber pointing out that he was there when she woke up. Though was he misreading the signals? She was extremely nice to him in the morning and uncharacteristically cuddly. Damn it, was he so desperate that he misread the whole thing? Was she simply high on whatever drugs they have injected her with? He was starting to get anxious while awaiting her answer, and she seemed to take her time with it, which didn’t help matters at all.

Amber was contemplating whether they were ‘good’ now. Maybe they were, maybe not. She didn’t know, especially since there was a possibility that the drugs had influenced her reaction in the morning. She took another bite of her food while she kept looking at Loki. She could see worry in his eyes as he waited for her to say something. Slowly, she turned her gaze to Ned and smirked at him. “That is between me and Loki for the time being.” She simply said, which seemed a good enough answer for Ned who simply shrugged.

The nurse from before came in with a tray of food for the teenagers. They accepted it with gratitude and started eating. Loki was still feeling tense about Amber’s reply. So they weren’t really ‘good’ yet. He should have known that was the case. He wondered what he could do to remedy that as he ate in silence. The boys were talking amongst themselves in whispers while Michelle was eyeing Loki not so subtly. He looked right back at her, recognizing the look of protectiveness she was giving him. He appreciated it, since it made it clear for him where her loyalty stood, and he was right there with her on that front. No matter their past, and no matter their future, he knew he would always have Amber’s back, just as Michelle would.

“So, Loki,” Amber broke the silence, “I was expecting Bucky as well.”

Loki blinked for a moment. Shit, he had totally forgotten about Amber wanting to speak to the both of them and she wasn’t to find out where Bucky was. “He had to run some errands.” He quickly said, thank the Norns for his silvertongue, as much as he hated it right now. “He’s probably standing in line somewhere trying to buy some of the plums he seems to enjoy for some reason.”

“Bucky and his plums.” Amber shook her head. She seemed to buy it, Loki was relieved. “Alright, we’ll simply tell him when he’s back.”

“What were you guys going to talk about?” Peter asked, eyeing both Amber and Loki suspiciously.

Amber thought for a moment if she should include Peter and the other two in on what she was planning on discussing with her team. Technically speaking, Peter was more than able to hold his own, but he was still a hot-headed teenager. Then again, his agility might be something they could use. Maybe she would need the help of the other Avengers as well.

“Well, the attack on my apartment.” She said, putting her fork down as she finished her meal. “This was tasty, by the way, thank you.” She turned to Loki for a moment.

“My pleasure.” He replied, finishing his own and putting his plate aside. “You really want to include them in this conversation?”

“It’s not that I can do anything with this right now.” She pointed at her shoulder. “But these three together are a force to be reckoned with.”

“We do work well together.” Ned supplied, grinning at his friends.

“Not to be the party pooper here, but could you elaborate?” Michelle adjusted herself in her seat. Amber had a calculating look on her face. One that Michelle recognized to mean she was planning something serious, and she wasn’t sure if she was up to the challenge.

“There were two Doombots in my apartment, going through my stuff. I need to know what they were looking for and why.”

Loki crossed his arms. This might quickly get out of hand if Amber found out about what Bucky, Stark, Strange and himself were doing. The less people knew, the better. The less Amber knew, even much better, though that was a dangerous territory.

“I know what they were looking for.” Loki figured she could probably handle a bit of the truth. “And I think we should wait a bit before taking action to retrieve it.”

“So what were they looking for?” Peter asked.

“My dagger.”

Amber gasped at that, making three teenage sets of eyes stare at her in confusion. What was special about a dagger? Loki could conjure a ton of them easily.

“And you failed to inform me of this, why exactly?” Amber was instantly fuming. The dagger posed so much danger in the wrong hands, which was exactly where it was now.

“It wasn’t the right time.” He shrugged.

“It wasn’t... are you fucking with me right now, Odinson?!” Amber practically hissed the words and turned her protesting body around to fully face him, letting her legs hang down the edge of the bed. The rage of the past year creeping up her spine. “Not the right time? The ONLY weapon in the universe that could potentially kill you, in the hands of Doom and you say the time wasn’t right?” her voice was rising and he could see an angry vein popping up at her temple.

“Amber, you’re going to hurt your shoulder by moving too much.” He said in a calm voice.

“Fuck my shoulder!” she yelled, pushing the covers off her hips and stood up. The IV tube was getting pulled and Michelle stood up quickly to grab the pole on her side before it fell. Loki stood up as well, towering over Amber as she advanced at him. “How can you be so calm about this?” she continued yelling.

Loki gave the teenagers a quick look and they silently left the room. Once out, Peter asked FRIDAY to dim the windows as this was probably going to be a private fight and they didn’t need an audience.

As soon as the teenagers left, Loki noticed at the corner of his eyes the window wall turning opaque. Thank whoever thought of asking for that. He then turned his attention to the fuming brunette before him. “Amber, I cannot explain anything to you if you are going to be yelling at me like this. Can you get back into bed?” He reached for her free arm but she forcefully pulled away from him.

“Don’t you dare touch me.” She hissed, more at the pain she caused herself than at him. She staggered backwards and ended up sitting at the edge of the bed. “Why did you not tell me?”

“Amber, please.” He pleaded, “don’t make this harder than it already is.”

“No! Tell me why were you keeping this from me! Why pretend to care and that everything is peachy while a deadly weapon is out there in Doom’s hands?” she stood up again, holding herself up high despite the tremors in her body and their height difference. “How can you be so calm about this!”

Loki was expecting a reaction from her, but not as severe. She was pissed at him, at Doom and would probably be pissed at Bucky as well if she knew he was in on it as well and didn’t say anything. 

“I’m done with secrecy, Loki. Done with it!” her voice started cracking when he still didn’t respond. “And you’re doing it again. You’re not telling me what’s happening and acting like everything is fine. You’re downplaying it _again_!” She fought against the tears that were welling up in her eyes. “Don’t make me go through it all over again. Please.” A sob escaped her throat as he closed the distance between them and pulled her into his arms. She grabbed at his shirt with a trembling hand as she buried her face into his chest. “Why do you keep doing this to me?”

Loki swallowed the lump in his throat and closed his eyes as he buried his face in her hair. “I don’t mean to. I swear to you on my mother’s soul, I don’t mean to.” He whispered, his voice cracking. He pulled back from the hug slightly, only to hold her face between his palms. “I just want to protect you.”

“Was it protection when you left me for a whole month without a word on where you were or if you were even alive?” Her face was covered in tears by now as she had no more control over them and quite frankly, she couldn’t care less. “Was it protection when you came back and pretended nothing had happened, when in fact I was mutilated and out of commission?” Her emotions were running wild and words just kept spilling out of her mouth. “It’s not protection when it hurts. _You_ have hurt me, Loki.” Her whole body was shaking from anger by now and she didn’t notice, nor did she care. She just wanted answers.

Loki was frozen on his spot, guilt running through his whole body. He knew he should have handled things differently after the incident, but at the time his course of action was the one that made the most sense to him as it was the most needed one. He didn’t sit idly the whole year, but Amber didn’t know that. He firmly believed she still didn’t need to know that. “I wish I could turn back time, but I can’t.” He said softly. “I didn’t realize at the time how much I hurt you. My anger and disappointment at myself had clouded my judgement that I neglected to care for the most important person in my life.”

“Don’t lie to me, Loki. If I were as important as you say, you wouldn’t have ignored me for a whole month.” The grip on his shirt tightened as she stared into his eyes.

“I would never lie to you about that.” He responded in a firm, confident voice, staring back at her. If he was definitely sure about something, it was what he felt for her.

“Then why don’t I believe you?” She forcefully pulled at his shirt, though it didn’t affect him at all. “Enough with secrets, Odinson.” She growled at him.

There was no way he could promise her that. Sure, he could lie through his teeth and make up some story, but he didn’t want to do that. Not to her. But he couldn’t tell her the whole truth either. Not about what he had been working on for a whole year. Selective truth, that’s what he needed right now. But.. her eyes were distracting him. Though the situation they were in right now wasn’t optimal, he still felt drawn to those beautiful hazel eyes. He didn’t want to do this while she was angry at him, but she hadn’t moved away and she was still tightly gripping at his shirt. He ran a thumb across her cheek while staring into those captivating eyes. 

“I do care for you, Amber. More than you will ever know.” He whispered, “And that is the truth.”

“I don’t believe you.” she said through gritted teeth. “You keep secrets, you lie, you twist the truth so it would match your plans. That doesn’t speak of caring. Not for me, not for anyone. You don’t get to waltz in after a year and tell me you still care. It doesn’t work that way, Lo-”

He cut her off by pulling her into a kiss. The more they talked, the more the situation would escalate, so Loki had opted to kiss her instead.

Amber’s heart got caught in her throat as their lips touched. Her eyes closed involuntarily for a moment as she felt her limbs weaken, but it didn’t feel right.

Loki broke the kiss and pulled his face back a bit, searching for a reaction on her face. Amber opened her eyes, a shuddered sigh escaping her lips. She furrowed her brows as she looked at him and slowly, yet firmly, pushed him away.

“Leave.”

Loki blinked at her reaction, completely taken aback. She wanted him to.. leave? Did she not share his feelings for her? Has he really mistaken her behaviour in the past and this morning to be the total opposite of what he thought?

“Amber, I..”

“You shouldn’t have done that.” She said, taking a step away from him. “I need to be alone. Please leave.” She turned her eyes away from him.

Loki sighed in defeat. This was definitely a mistake. Without saying anything, he simply walked out the door, his shoulders hanging low.


	8. Chapter 8

Once the door slid closed after him, Amber’s legs gave up on her and she dropped to the floor near the bed. She pulled her knees up to her chest, buried her face between them and wrapped her free arm around her calves. He shouldn’t have done that. Not now. Not when she was angry at him. She wanted to cry so badly, tried to force herself not to and failed miserably. She closed her eyes and sat there, silently sobbing and hoping FRIDAY wouldn’t be alerting anyone about this. She didn’t have the energy to ask the AI to keep silent. She was tired and in pain, both physically and mentally.

It only took a few minutes until the door slid open again. Amber didn’t bother to look up when she heard a few sets of feet rushing in. A soft touch on her shoulder prompted her to open her eyes and raise her head. It was Michelle, crouching next to her with a sympathetic look on her face.

“Hey,” she said, forcing a pained smile.

“FRIDAY told us you might need someone.” Michelle said softly. “Can you stand up?”

Amber nodded and leaned against Michelle, who helped her get on her feet and then onto the bed.

“What happened?” Wanda was there too and so was Natasha.

“We..” Amber sniffed, wiping her eyes and nose with the back of her hand before taking a tissue out of the box Natasha had offered her. “Thanks.” She mumbled before cleaning her nose. “We argued. Well, more like I held a monologue. And he..” she took a deep, shaky breath. “Instead of saying something worthwhile, he kissed me.” She wiped her eyes again, anger coming back in full force. “He’s keeping a secret and to shut me up, he kissed me! I’m gonna kill the fucking bastard.” She growled and tried to get off the bed, but was held in place by Natasha, who placed a hand over her uninjured shoulder.

“You stay right where you are, missy.” The spy said firmly. “There will be no killing on your part. I’ll do that for you.”

“There will be no killing from any part.” Wanda said, looking at both women. “It would not help matters. We need to be here for Amber. We will deal with Loki later. We’re not men. We have priorities.”

Michelle nodded at the statement. Amber sat back against the raised mattress and wiped her eyes and nose again. Natasha grabbed a glass of water and handed it to her. “Drink, and tell us how it started.”

As Amber finished telling them what transpired between her and Loki, and surprising herself in the process at how open she was being about it, she looked at three sets of concerned faces.

“Okay, this is where you start reacting instead of looking like lost puppies.” She quipped.

“Well..” Natasha started, she wasn’t really sure what to say that would help the situation. Wanda remained silent, looking at Natasha.

“First of all,” Michelle jumped in, not being one for subtlety, “he was wrong to kiss you out of the blue.” Natasha and Wanda nodded at that. Amber just rolled her eyes at them. “Secondly, I think your reaction, while understandable, was a bit.. harsh?”

Amber raised an eyebrow at her. “Harsh.” It was a statement, not a question. She didn’t think it was.

“Yeah, well, you kind of jumped at his throat when he told you they got his dagger.” Michelle shrugged. “I mean, I get that it’s dangerous in the wrong hands, but it wasn’t really his fault it got stolen.”

“That was not why I got mad and you know it.”

“I actually don’t know.” Michelle crossed her arms, a knowing smirk on her face.

“Will someone tell us what you guys are talking about?” Natasha asked, looking back and forth between Amber and Michelle.

“Loki’s dagger was stolen from Amber’s apartment, it happens to be the only weapon in the world that could actually kill him.” Michelle explained.

“Oh, that’s not good.” Wanda said.

“Not at all.” Natasha added, then continued, “So you got mad at him for losing a weapon you had in your possession?”

Amber rolled her eyes, sighing. “No, I got mad at him because he was acting too calm again as if it wasn’t a big deal. It kind of..” she shrugged, “well, it triggered something. It was like when he disappeared for a month and came back like nothing had happened.” She wrapped a trembling arm around her torso. Damn limb that doesn’t stop doing that.

“I see.” Was all Natasha said on the matter.

“I can see how that would be upsetting.” Wanda said, “I don’t think your reaction was wrong. A bit extreme, but not unjustified.”

“Did he apologize?” Michelle asked, knowing full well what Amber thought of that particular point.

Amber snorted. “What do you think? The asshole kissed me instead.”

“Ugh, men.”

“Can’t live with them, and can’t live without them.” Natasha chuckled.

“This is where I wish I was born a lesbian.” Michelle said, causing the other three to laugh, even Amber.

“You would probably make the same statement about women then.” Natasha grinned at her.

“Yeah, you’re probably right.” Michelle grinned back.

“Relationships are complicated whether you’re with a man or a woman.” Wanda said. “Try being with an Android. As much as I adore Vision, he can be such a child sometimes.” She grinned.

At that moment Pepper walked in with a tray full of ice cream. “FRIDAY, secure the room. This is a ladies only afternoon.” She said as she walked over to the bed, placing the tray on the overbed table and taking away the empty lunch plates to put them on the coffee table. They’ll take care of those later. “Sorry I’m late, was busy scolding people. But I have ice cream!”

“You always know what to do.” Amber smiled and reached for the one ice cream on a stick, which she figured was meant for her since she couldn’t use both hands at the moment.

“How do you think Tony’s still alive after everything we’ve been going through.” Pepper giggled.

“Ice cream?” Michelle blinked innocently, making everyone laugh.

“That, and me knowing what to do.” Pepper smiled at her.

“So who were you scolding again? Tony?” Natasha asked, reaching for a single serving cup of ice cream and a spoon.

“Who else? And Loki.” She looked at Amber. “FRIDAY privately gave me a short summary of what happened. So on my way here I overheard Tony talking to him about something I didn’t really catch, and he was being his usual better than thou self about it. So I snapped at the both of them and told them to hash it up like adults. I also gave Loki a piece of my mind,” she looked at Amber apologetically, “sorry if I crossed a line with that.”

“At least one of us did something about it.” Amber said, “Thank you.”

“We always got your back.” Pepper grinned, taking a scoop of her ice cream.

“And I yours. All of you.” Amber looked at each one of them, a sincere smile on her face. “And by the way, is Bucky back yet? Loki said he went out for plums.”

“Again?” Natasha huffed.

“Apparently.” Amber shrugged, which was a mistake that made her wince. Stupid fracture. If Loki hadn’t been an asshole earlier, she might have considered asking him to heal at least that.

-*-*-*-*-*-

“Seriously dude, what happened to not telling Amber anything yet?” Tony asked, exasperation evident in his voice.

“I haven’t told her anything other than they had taken my dagger. And she jumped at me like I did it on purpose!”

Tony held the bridge of his nose between two fingers as he sighed. The guy was still not getting it. “Don’t you get it?” he looked at Loki, “it’s not the fact that it was stolen, you asshat, it’s because of how you reacted to the fact!”

Loki started pacing, trying to think back on how exactly he reacted right after he told Amber about the dagger. He blinked and came to a halt as realization hit him. She had even spelled it to him and he still missed it! “Oh for Valhalla’s sake I’m such an idiot!” he hit his forehead with his palm. “She even told me that!”

Tony shook his head. “Your head is so far up your ass it’s a wonder you’re still functioning at all.”

“I think I really messed up this time, Stark.” Loki said, worry written all over his face.

“What did you do?” Tony asked carefully.

“I..” Loki looked at the floor, avoiding Tony’s judging gaze. “I kissed her?”

Tony was surprised. He didn’t expect that at all. “Well I’d say finally!” he grinned.

“No, Stark.” Loki sighed, looking at him. “Turns out the feeling isn’t mutual.” He went to sit down on the sofa, propping his elbows on his knees.

“Oh..” was all Tony could say as he went to sit next to the God. “Well, that sucks.”

“Sucks the life out of a man.” Loki mumbled, resting his chin over his hands.

“I wouldn’t give up just yet.” Tony said, giving Loki’s shoulder a pat and stood up. “We’ve all seen the way you two were around each other in the past. You simply kissed her while she was pissed at you. Of course she wouldn’t want to be kissed. I should know.” He shrugged, heading towards the elevators. “Let’s get back to the lab, we should be hearing from Bucky soon.”

Loki nodded and got up, following Tony to the elevators. “It’s taking him a while for just a surveillance trip.”

“Yeah, I’m hoping things are fine.” Tony said as they stepped into the elevator that led them to the lab.

Once they stepped into the lab, a big silent red alarm went off on one of the holo screens. Tony rushed to it and swiped at it to get to the problem. “Shit.”

“What’s wrong?” Loki walked up to him, looking at the screen. “I’m going there.” His clothes shimmered and changed into his battle armor.

“Loki wait.” Tony said, rushing to one of the desks and opening drawers rapidly.

“Stark, we don’t have time!” 

“Hang on, you need a tracker and there’s something else. God damn it I can’t find it!” He threw an earpiece at Loki while he continued looking for something. Loki put the device in his ear and pressed the button to turn it on. FRIDAY greeted him in his ear and that was all he needed to get going.

“Stark, I’m going. Call Strange, we might need him.”

“Wait, God damn it!” Tony ran to one of the cabinets and practically tore it open. Turned out the item he was looking for was a handheld gun. “Found it!” He gave it to Loki, not that he would need it, but you can never be sure with Doom, “It’s a prototype, but it’s functioning. High energy gun, in case you need it. Careful not to zap yourself or Bucky by accident.”

“I’ll zap him when we get back. Have your AI monitor his heat signature and the surroundings. We might need back up.” With that said, Loki disappeared from the lab and showed up on the screen, in the room where Bucky was being held.

“FRIDAY, please call the wizard and ask him to come here as soon as possible. Also ask Vision to come as well, discretely.”

“Sure, Boss.”

-*-*-*-*-*-

“The hell are you doing here?” Bucky hissed at Loki from the chair he was tied in. “Go back!”

Loki looked around the empty room. No cameras, no windows. Only a door and Bucky on a chair in the middle. He took a step closer but stopped immediately when Bucky growled at him.

“Don’t!” the Bucky hissed. “Magic perimeter. I can handle myself, you go back. Now!”

“I’m not leaving you here!”

“Yes you are. Go! Oh shit.. it’s starting again.. Go!”

“What’s star..”

Before Loki could finish the question, Bucky’s head was jerked back by an invisible force, his eyes forced open while he struggled against it. Loki was frozen. He didn’t know what was happening, but from the way Bucky struggled against the restraints, it was obviously nothing good.

“G.. goooo” Bucky pleaded. “I.. d-don’t know.. how long.. c-can’t hold it.. m-much.. longer..”

Loki cast a spell to reveal the invisible perimeter around Bucky. A dark red circle revealed itself on the floor, inside it several runes painted in the same colour, all surrounding Bucky’s chair. He tried to read the runes and was shocked at the revelation.

_“zhelaniye, rzhavyy, semnadtsat, rassvet, pech, devyat, dobroserdechnyy, vozvrashcheniye na rodinu, odin, gruzovoy vagon”_

Bucky’s trigger words. He had been told about those when he first met Bucky, and was also told that he was healed of their effect in Wakanda. Apparently Doom had found a way to try and reactivate them by using runes and.. were they painted in blood? Loki looked closer at Bucky, who was still struggling against the invisible force and pleading for Loki to go back. And only then he noticed the blood stains on his friend’s face and body. Doom was using blood magic to reactivate the trigger words!

“Barnes, you can fight it!” Loki hissed from his spot right outside the circle holding the runes. “Think of something else, don’t pay attention to the words!”

“Goooo..”

He could get Barnes out in an instant, but what if that interfered with the blood magic? He didn’t want a repeat of what happened with Amber a year ago. Blood magic was not something to be tampered with, no matter how skilled a sorcerer or mage you were. He cursed his indecisiveness. While he was contemplating the best course of action, Bucky was slowly losing the fight against the magic.

 _“Hey Reindeer Games, what’s happening there? We have heat visuals but no video or sound.”_ came Stark’s voice through the earpiece.

Loki pressed the button on the piece before he spoke. “Blood magic. They’re trying to reactivate the trigger words.”

_“Shit, get back here now.”_

“No, Stark!”

_“Loki, don’t play hero now. You can’t help him. We’ll do it together. Come back now!”_

Loki cursed under his breath and turned to Bucky. “Barnes, I’ll be back for you. Keep fighting! We need you, okay? Amber needs you. Don’t give up!”

“Gooo!” Bucky pleaded as tears flowed down his cheeks. He was losing this battle and he knew it.

Loki teleported back to the lab where Strange and Vision had joined Stark.

“Blood magic. Doom is using runes to reactivate the Winter Soldier.” Loki was shaking in worry and anger.

“And you couldn’t pull him out?” Tony asked.

“Not while it’s still in process.” Strange replied, folding his arms as he contemplated the situation. “You need to do it either before it started or after it’s done. One being easier than the other, obviously. Once the spell had settled, it is possible to break it, but it’s nearly impossible.”

“Nearly being the keyword here.” Loki said, determination written all over his face.

“Okay, we need a course of action. God knows what Doom has planned and if Bucky goes into full Winter Soldier mode, I’m afraid we would be biting more than we can chew.”

“Especially since blood magic is involved.” Strange supplied. He didn’t like this setback one bit, but there was nothing to do about it right now other than strategizing and trying to help their teammate. It was true that Strange didn’t reside at the compound like the rest of them, he also wasn’t helping with most missions, but he was nonetheless considered a full member of the Avengers by now.

“Can you check at your library about anything that would help?” Loki asked, pulling his helmet off and making it vanish. He kept his armor on.

“Most probably. If not, we can check the library at Kamar-Taj. I’ll have Wong search there while I search at the Sanctum. Will be back as soon as I find anything.” Strange opened a portal and stepped over to the Sanctum.

“Loki, I think it’s time to alert the others. Especially Steve.” Tony said.

“I believe that is the best course of action to start with.” Vision said. 

Loki didn’t like this one bit, but there was no other choice. “While we’re at it, I believe Thor should join us as well. Should have asked the wizard to open a portal before he left.”

“FRIDAY, please send word to Strange to get Thor here ASAP. He may tell him what happened with Bucky and what we’re dealing with. The longer version he’ll get once he’s here in an hour.”

“Stark, we may not have an hour.” Loki snapped his head towards Tony.

“Probably not, but we need Clint here as well. Besides, if Doom is any good, then Bucky is lost.. for now.. we will have time to find him again.” Tony was careful to emphasize the ‘for now’ because of the way Loki glared at him.

“Fucking Hel, this all because of me.” Loki huffed, pacing back and forth.

“It will not do you, nor us, any good if you start feeling guilty.” Vision said in a calm voice. “My calculations indicate you are not at fault here. From what Anthony had told me, Sergeant Barnes had volunteered to go investigate.” He raised a hand in defence when Loki was about to snap at him, “But I do believe Viktor von Doom is the culprit here. Starting with the unfortunate incident a year ago, and the recent attack on Amber.”

Loki flexed his shoulders to ease the tension that was rising rapidly within him. Vision had a point. It would be useless of him to wallow in self-pity. Doom was going to pay for this. He will save Bucky and then the both of them will go get Doom, just the way they planned to do.

“Alright, let’s get this show on the road.” Tony said, “FRIDAY, alert all the Avengers, including Peter, meeting in the conference room an hour from now. Tell them it is mandatory. No excuses.“

“Everyone is informed, Boss. Doctor Strange has also responded. Thor should be arriving in 15 minutes and 36 seconds. Portal will open in the lab.” The AI responded promptly.

“Thank you.”

“You want Peter to join us?” Vision inquired. Usually, Tony went to great lengths to keep Peter from joining missions for the sake of keeping him from harm’s way. This mission would be classified as a suicide mission, given the enemy they would be facing and the limitations of Peter’s abilities, and of course, his age.

“Yes. I know it goes against everything I’ve been doing to keep him safe so far, but..” Tony ran his hand through his hair. An act he did every time his anxiety was threatening to resurface. “He’s more than capable and I have a new toy for him. FRIDAY get Spiderman’s new suit ready for when he’s here.”

“Sure Boss.”

“You get going and I’ll wait for Thor and join you soon.” Loki said, resuming his pacing.

“Boss, Clint Barton will be arriving in 30 minutes.” FRIDAY informed.

“Good. We might start the meeting even sooner than expected. Vision, let’s go talk to Steve first. He needs to know before everyone.” Tony said and walked out of the room, followed closely by Vision.

The women were chatting away and laughing merrily in Amber’s room, when suddenly all of them, except for Amber and Michelle had gotten a text. Amber found it to be suspicious how her former teammates read the texts and looked at each other in confusion.

“What’s wrong?” Amber asked.

“Apparently we have a team meeting we didn’t know about.” Wanda said, putting her phone back into her pocket.

“Wouldn’t surprise me if it’s one of Cap’s ‘we haven’t done a meeting in a while’ kind of thing. He always does those last minute and out of the blue.” Natasha shrugged, pocketing her phone as well, trying to look as casual as possible. She knew Amber could read her like an open book if she wanted to. The text had said more than just a cryptic ‘team meeting’ and her gut feeling told her something bad has happened. Really bad.

“I guess we should get going then?” Pepper suggested as she got up. “The sooner we get that done, the sooner we can come back?” she tried giving the best friendly smile she could muster, hoping Amber wouldn’t catch up. She hated doing that, as she was a straightforward person. But burdening Amber with disturbing news wouldn’t do her any good. Especially since she couldn’t join them.

“I can stay, if you want?” Michelle asked.

“No, it’s okay. You wanted to open the cafe today anyway.” Amber smiled at her. “But if you change your mind about it and want to have a day off, feel free to do so. I don’t mind. And I could use a nap.”

“Okay, I’ll take Ned and Peter with me then. I’d like to work a bit today anyway.” She got up, gathering her backpack. “I’ll text you later.”

“Sure. Don’t have too much fun without me though!” Amber grinned.

“Never!” Michelle leaned in and gave Amber a light hug. “Feel better soon. I’ll come back again when I get the chance.”

Once Michelle had left, the others got up as well and promised to come back in the evening after the meeting and after Amber had gotten the nap she said she needed.

Amber had a gut feeling that something was off. She was familiar with Steve’s impromptu meetings, but the way her teammates looked at each other indicated there was more to it. In addition, the way Natasha talked was cryptic as hell. At least to her. There was definitely something going on and she needed to find out.

She settled for the time being for flipping through the channels on the flat screen TV in the room while absentmindedly brooding over the meeting the others were having.

A few minutes later she decided fuck all and pulled the IV off her arm with her teeth, managing to remove the needle without much blood spill. A few drops wouldn’t kill her. She was mentally thankful to whomever decided to dress her in sweatpants and a button up sleeveless shirt instead of those hideous hospital gowns. While groaning irritably at the pain, she made her way out the room and headed towards the conference room where the meeting was being held. On the way she instructed FRIDAY not to say a word to anyone, claiming she wanted to just hear and not interfere. Which seemed alright for the AI. She was grateful of the AI’s cooperation.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I felt sorry for Bucky T__T


	9. Chapter 9

Everyone had gathered in the conference room, wondering about why they were summoned. Peter was nervously looking around, wondering why he was allowed to join in so easily when usually he had to fight his way into being included an impromptu meeting such as this. Tony and Vision were standing in a corner silently discussing things amongst each other. They were soon joined by Loki, while Thor joined the others, which raised even more suspicions. Steve was sitting at the table already, eyes cast down with worry written all over his face. Natasha noticed how tense he was and as her eyes roamed around the room, she noticed that Bucky was missing. Soon Clint had joined them as well, which is when Tony finished his discussion with Vision and Loki, who went to sit around the table alongside the others. Tony stood at the head of the table cleared his throat to have everyone’s attention.

“Thanks for coming on such a short notice.” He said.

“Why the sudden meeting?” Sam asked.

Tony looked at Steve first, then to Loki, who nodded at him to get directly to the point.

“Well, you know we were looking into who orchestrated the attack on Amber, and found out it was Victor von Doom. So I had FRIDAY track him down and we found out he was currently at an abandoned warehouse in New Jersey.”

He then moved on to tell how they couldn’t hack into the security because of magical interference, and Bucky volunteered to go on a scouting mission, which apparently had turned south and next thing they knew, Bucky was captured and apparently Doom was succeeding in reactivating the Winter Soldier.

Everyone fell silent at the revelation. Natasha’s eyes darted towards Steve, who was still silent the whole time. The way he had his jaws clenched told her enough about the mental state he was in right now. While working in two separate teams most of the time, Bucky was still his best friend and they shared a long history together.

“So when you told Amber earlier Bucky was out for plums, this is where he was.” Natasha looked at Loki. She was radiating calmness. Peter envied her as he kept fidgeting in his seat.

“Yes. If I had told her where he went, she would have reacted even worse than earlier.” Loki replied. He knew the women of the team were gathered in Amber’s room because Pepper had mentioned it earlier, after she was done scolding him.

“Brother, why would Doom want your dagger? Surely it’s of no use to him?” Thor turned to Loki.

“I might have a theory, given recent history concerning Doom. But in fact, I cannot be sure.” Loki replied.

“Boss, I was able to retrieve visuals on Bucky.” FRIDAY suddenly spoke.

“Put it on the large screen.”

They all watched a recording of Bucky walking out of the portal and carefully making his way into the building. The view changed to a corridor where he sneaked through, then changed to a hall full of containers and boxes. There was no living soul in sight, not even a single Doombot. That should have been a dead sign something was off. Bucky made his way from container to container, hiding behind boxes to keep away from view. He was making his way towards the other side of the hall where a large, closed door stood. At what seemed his last hiding spot before he would be revealed before reaching the door, an invisible force had knocked him over. Everyone in the room gasped as he lay there for a few seconds before he got up, staggering. He raised a hand to his ear, probably to contact them, but he was knocked over once again by something invisible. This time said force seemed to kick his body while he was down. Peter and Pepper shielded their eyes at the sight while the others couldn’t take their eyes off of it.

As Bucky lay unconscious on the ground, a couple of Doombots finally showed up and dragged him with both arms outside the area. The video ended when they walked through the door Bucky had been trying to get to and changed to the heat signature view of the room they found him in. His was the only signature to be seen. They could make from the shape that he was being tortured by something invisible. Soon Loki’s heat signature appeared, he moved around, stood still, moved again. All the while Bucky was in the same spot in the middle of the room. Then Loki’s heat signature disappeared and Bucky’s continued writhing on the same spot.

“Oh shit..” Peter mumbled a bit too loud, his eyes fixated on the glass walls of the room. Everyone turned to look at him and then followed his gaze.

“Fuck.” Sam mumbled.

Amber was standing behind the glass wall, her face void of emotions as she watched the screen. She then turned her gaze to the rest of them. Chin up and jaws clenched tight, she made her way to the door and pushed it open with a trembling arm. She walked in and stood there, eyes darting towards Loki.

“Out to buy plums, huh?” If looks could kill, this would have been the moment Loki would have been saying his last prayers. Then she turned to Steve. “Did you know?”

Steve shook his head. “Not until just before the meeting.” He stood up, offering her his seat, which she rejected by shaking her head.

She then turned her attention to Tony. “And you?”

“Amber, you shouldn’t be out of bed.” Natasha said, standing up as well.

Amber raised her palm at Natasha while her bloodshot eyes were still on Tony. “I have a feeling Loki knew all along, but what about you?” 

Loki winced inwardly at the accusation, not that it was untrue. But the way she said it was.. painful. It held so much resentment that it shook him to the core. He had royally messed up this time, though he managed to conceal his emotions with practiced ease, keeping on a care-free poker face.

Tony scrunched his nose and rubbed the back of his neck. “We were planning together.” He said, straightening his shoulders. He didn’t know why he was feeling nervous all of a sudden, but he tried to appear confident. He knew and agreed to the reasons why they wanted to keep this from Amber, but he wasn’t going to shy away and deny it when asked directly. Their friend and teammate was captured, and he would be damned if he didn’t utilize every single person in the room to help bring him back.

“What else are you not telling me?”

“Uh..” Tony looked at Loki, at which Amber turned to face him as well.

“Of course, I should have known there was more you weren’t telling me.” She huffed.

“I only found out when I got there.” Loki said, “Doom was using blood magic to reactivate the Winter Soldier.”

Amber raised an eyebrow, surprised at that. “Shuri said it was impossible. She had removed all traces.”

“Apparently Doom had found a way.” Steve said.

“Blood magic.” Loki explained when Amber looked questioningly at Steve and then back at him. “I couldn’t get him out because the spell was active and it’s highly dangerous to forcefully detach someone from it. It could have killed him had I tried.”

Amber’s trembling was becoming more evident by the second. Steve stood up and walked to her, urging her to sit down. She pulled away from him, wincing at the surge of pain in her shoulder.

“Not now Steve. I need to get Bucky.”

“You’ll do no such thing. There’s a whole team for that.” Natasha said from where she was standing. “You’re not in any shape to do that!”

Voices ran over each other, everyone agreeing with Natasha, Thor volunteering to go bring Bucky back. He wouldn’t need anyone to do it, which caused another roar of arguments.

Amber walked over to Loki, who stood up as she approached him. “Heal me.” She demanded.

“I beg your pardon?” he tilted his head to the side. He had a feeling where this was going and he didn’t like it one bit. Not that he could or would say no, since the opportunity presented itself. He did offer to heal her earlier, after all.

“Heal me. Recent injuries only,” she said, looking determined as she looked him in the eyes.

“Amber, what are you planning?” Steve asked, which caused everyone to stop talking over the other and listen.

“Asking Loki to heal me, like he offered earlier in the day.” She turned to look at Steve, a smirk on her face. Then she turned to Loki. “It’s the least you can do.”

Ouch. That felt like a stab at Loki’s heart. Taking a deep breath and raising his chin as he stared her down, he then nodded and moved aside. He motioned for her to sit down where he was seated earlier.

She did so, all the time clenching her teeth to keep herself from wincing while in movement. Every inch of her body was screaming bloody murder at her because of the pain.

Loki looked at Stark, who simply shrugged at him. If she wanted this then there was no stopping her. Loki wasn’t against it at all. He was simply worried she would get herself actually killed this time. But he would make sure that didn’t happen. While physically out of commission, Amber was still a great strategist and her expertise could definitely help them rescue Bucky.

He took her right hand in one of his own to lift it up a bit, then he brought his other palm to hover over it. A green glow shimmered under his palm and Amber looked at her hand curiously as she felt the swelling go down and the bruising on the visible parts of her fingers dissipate. Once it was done, Loki lowered her hand to let it rest over her thigh. She flexed her fingers, as much as possible under the bandages, and she didn’t feel pain.

He then moved to her other side, placing a palm at the front, right over her collarbone, and the other over her shoulder blade. The green glow appeared again, covering her collarbone area and around her shoulder. Loki closed his eyes as he tried to concentrate. A break was always more difficult to heal than surface cuts and bruises, since he couldn’t actively see the damage and had to rely on his senses to mend the bones to their healthy state. That was one of the reasons why he couldn’t heal deep tissue scars without additional ingredients. He couldn’t see what exactly had shifted in the deeper tissues and how he would have to move them around. It was complex, but not impossible. If it was impossible, Thor and himself would have been giant walking scar tissues due to all the battles they had participated in on Asgard or elsewhere.

Amber could feel the shift in her shoulder and collarbone, the pain first numbing down until it slowly disappeared as well. Loki inhaled sharply as he was done, sweat gathering at his temples, due to the amount of energy it had required him to heal the fracture. His body threatened to falter, but he held himself in place as he moved to stand behind Amber. Everyone was watching the process in total silence. While he had healed almost every single one of them at one point or another, it still amazed them how he did it. Every time feeling like it was the first time they were witnessing it.

Loki hovered his palms over both sides of Amber’s head. “Close your eyes.” He said softly. When she did so, he closed his eyes as well, focusing on distributing the healing energy through her whole body. As her bruises slowly started disappearing, his hands started shaking. Thor got up and stood next to Loki. He was never supposed to perform an extensive healing spell in one go. Thor knew the effect it had on Loki whenever he had healed him or any of his friends after a fight that had gone wrong. Loki needed a few days to fully recover afterwards. What he was doing now was going to leave him vulnerable to Doom’s advances, probably slowing them down in reaching Bucky as soon as possible. He hoped Loki had a trick up his sleeve to speed up his own recovery, though he had never witnessed it himself before.

Amber’s whole body was engulfed in a green shimmer. Golden swirls wrapping themselves around the bruised areas and moving from one bruise to the other, another swirl coming to replace the one that had moved away. Once the spell was completed, first the swirls disappeared and then the green shimmer followed. Leaving Amber as good as she used to look before the Doombots attack.

Loki dropped his arms to his side and staggered a bit, Thor quickly holding him and helping him to a chair. He sat down and leaned forward, propping his elbows over his knees and hung his head low, trying to catch his breath.

“Brother, are you alright?” Thor asked, kneeling next to his younger brother, who just nodded. He didn’t have the energy to reply in words.

Amber flexed her shoulder, and when it wasn’t met with pain, she took the slinger off and tossed it on the table. Then she started removing the bandage off her right hand and tossed it aside as well. The room was still silently watching her as she stood up, poker face still firmly in place. She turned around to where Thor and Loki were. If she wasn’t angry at him she would probably feel sorry for him right now. But she didn’t have the capacity to pity him at this moment. Nevertheless, she walked over to him and laid a hand over his shoulder. “Thank you.” She said in a firm, yet soft tone, giving his shoulder a firm squeeze. Angry or not, she still had manners.

She then moved to where Tony was standing at the head of the table. Loki had raised his head to look at her but she was gone from his side as soon as she had appeared. The squeeze on his shoulder was reassuring, but he knew she was still angry at him. Nevertheless, he was pleased she allowed him to heal her, even though she technically demanded it and it almost knocked him out. A little price to pay for messing things up with her, he figured.

“Could we have a rundown on the location and what you had in mind for infiltration?” she addressed Tony, who immediately took the reigns on explaining the surroundings of the warehouse, how many Doombots were in the area outside and his speculations on how many were on the inside. It seemed there weren’t any Hydra agents there for the time being, which was a plus. Though the fact that there were only Doombots didn’t make it any easier. Doom was nowhere to be seen on the video footage, nor on the heat signatures. Everyone in the room was listening attentively, only asking questions for clarification. Steve was starting to fidget in his seat by then. He needed to go get his best friend back and this felt like it was taking way too long.

“Alright, this is what we’re going to do,” Amber started once Tony was done with the plan, taking charge of the current mission at hand. “If Doom had succeeded reactivating the Winter Soldier, it means the Bucky we all know will not be there. He will not recognize any of us and any direct contact could potentially be fatal.” She propped her trembling hands on the table before her, leaning forward. Everyone was listening attentively to her in complete silence. “I’ll go in with Cap and the Scarlet Witch. Our main goal will be to find Bucky, knock him out and bringing him back. Iron Man, Thor and Vision will go after any Doombots getting in our way. Widow, Rescue, Hawkeye, Falcon and Spiderman, you secure the perimeter. Keep any outside interference out of our way.”

Peter raised his hand and Amber looked at him, raising an eyebrow. “Uhm.. what about Loki?”

“He’s not in any condition to help at the moment.” She replied.

“I can speak for myself.” Loki huffed, slowly standing up. Thor standing close by as his younger brother was trembling a little. “You will need magic.”

“We have Wanda.” She stated.

“My magic isn’t as strong as Loki’s.” Wanda said, looking between the two.

“Bullshit, and you know it.” Amber told her. Wanda had the habit of downplaying her abilities. Whether it was out of modesty, insecurity or else, no one really knew. “You can control minds, Bucky will need that.” She turned to Tony. “Can you get Strange to transport us?”

“He should be joining us soon. He was looking for way to counteract the blood magic. He’s bringing Bruce as well.” He replied.

“Good. Bruce can join Iron Man’s team and Strange comes with us. For now, everybody suit up.”

Loki growled under his breath as she took charge of the whole thing. He hadn’t seen her like this for a while now. While her plan seemed alright at first glance, he knew it would take them more than a clean entry and extraction to get Bucky away from harm’s way. Wanda’s magic was powerful, but not powerful enough to go against blood magic. Strange might have a chance, but it was debatable. There were two powerful daggers at Doom’s disposal as well. Amber knew of one of them, but not of the other.

“There’s one more thing.” Loki said and everyone looked at him. “My dagger isn’t the only weapon Doom has stolen.” Amber gritted her teeth at the yet another secret about to be revealed. Will this ever stop? “Doom has the Destroyer of the Demons. The Silver Dagger, as it’s known on Midgard.”

Thor’s blood froze in his veins. Each dagger was a formidable weapon on its own. One of them being the only weapon within the Nine Realms to be fatal to his younger brother. That combined with the Silver Dagger could prove catastrophic on so many levels. Everyone looked confused at Thor’s reaction. Wanda, having heard of the dagger, shifted uncomfortably in her seat. Vision reached under the table to hold her hand.

“What’s special about it?” Sam asked.

“Aside it being one of the most dangerous magical artefacts in the universe, it’s the weapon to kill the Sorcerer Supreme.” Tony said.

“So he’s going for Strange.” Steve concluded.

“We can’t know for sure.” Tony explained. “His first involvement was a year ago, we figured Loki was the target.” Amber shot a look at Loki when she heard that. This was new information for her. Tony noticed it and cursed himself inwardly at the slip of the tongue. Loki was looking pointedly at the screen, making sure he avoided Amber’s gaze. Tony quickly continued, in an attempt to shift the attention from Loki, before the God would even think about snapping at him for the slip. “And then he went to the Sanctum and got the Silver Dagger. Next thing we know, he’s attacking Amber.”

At that, Amber’s attention turned back to Tony. “And now he has Bucky. If the three of us were targets, I don’t see the connection with Strange.”

“Me neither. Then again, since when does Doom make sense?” Tony shrugged.

“The bastard needs to be stopped, period.” Sam huffed.

“Should’ve done that a while ago.” Steve snorted.

“Well, we’re doing it now.” Amber turned to him. “He won’t get away this time.” She added grimly.

As the others started getting out of the conference room to suit up, Tony motioned for Peter to stay behind and the teenager did so. When it was just them, Amber, Loki and Thor in the room, Tony turned to Peter.

“Kid, I got something for you.” He said, grinning at Peter. He took out a small, triangular arc reactor out of his pocket and pressed it against Peter’s chest. Peter looked down at it, blinking in confusion at the glowing blue object he was presented with.

“Thanks, mr. Stark. But.. what is it?” he ran a finger around its edges.

“Tap it.” Tony said.

Peter tapped on the middle of his own spider-shaped arc reactor replica and watched as nano particles emerged out of it, spreading over his chest and body, forming a new suit around him and finishing the ensemble by forming a mask over his face.

“Whoa! Mr. Stark this is awesome!” the teenager exclaimed, excited by the new suit.

“Hello, Peter.” A female voice spoke in his ears as his own HUD lit up inside the mask.

“Karen! Hi!” he replied happily. He retracted the mask and grinned at Tony. “Mr. Stark this is so cool! Thank you so much!” he looked quite giddy as he looked down at his arms and legs. The dark blue and red, adorned with subtle golden accents here and there looked amazing. It even came with his own little arc reactor. Needless to say, Peter was in cloud nine.

“You’re welcome, kid. Make sure you put it to good use.” Tony said, then turned to Amber, who was smiling fondly at Peter’s excitement. “And you, Missy, while I’m hurt you took over my meeting, I have something for you too.”

“Whatever for?” she asked, raising an eyebrow at him as her smile was replaced with a frown.

“Remember the prototype you were supposed to try out? Well, technically it’s ready to be used, I just call it a prototype because it’s the first batch.” He shrugged.

“The nano gloves.” She said, a smirk finally appearing on her face.

“You even have a name for them already. I’m impressed. Let’s go to the lab.” He then turned to Loki, “You gonna be okay here for a bit?”

“Yes.” Loki had sat back down at some point, still leaning forward over his knees and panting slightly. Thor standing nearby.

“Okay, we’ll be back soon.” Tony said and motioned for Amber to join him, and she did. Peter followed them, inviting himself over to the lab. He was quite curious about the gloves Amber was getting.

“Brother, what can I do?” Thor asked in concern, kneeling next to Loki.

“I would have rather done the healing at any other time, or in parts. It took a lot of me.” Loki replied, taking in deep breaths.

“You haven’t done such an extensive spell for a while. No wonder it took a toll on you.”

“Indeed. I should recover within the hour, if I could rest.”

“Since you haven’t been assigned a role in the mission, you could take the time to replenish your energy.”

“No, Thor. You will need me there. I saw the magic Doom was using on Barnes. The mortals will not be able to do anything. It’s dark magic and if they falter for a mere second it could backfire. We cannot afford that.”

“Surely Doom is no threat to either of us?”

“With the daggers in his possession?”

“You have a point, brother. Though there was no trace of him on the footage.” Thor pondered, looking at the screen.

“Indeed. He’s most likely shielding himself. He can’t be very far away when performing blood magic. He needs to be within reasonable vicinity. He wasn’t in the room when I was there, but he was casting the spell from the distance.” Loki leaned back in the seat and let his head drop backwards as he closed his eyes. His energy was replenishing at a very slow rate. If he was in Asgard, he could have used a potion or two to get it to work faster. Alas, he had nothing here. So he had to wait it out by resting, even though right now it was the last thing he wanted to do. “Go join them, brother. I will join you once I am able to.”

“I’d rather you stay behind, brother. We don’t know what Doom has in store for you.” Thor didn’t like the idea of Loki’s dagger being in Doom’s hands and posing a serious threat to his younger brother.

“At this point, I don’t care, Thor. I want Barnes back and..” he sighed.

“Amber’s forgiveness.” Thor finished for him.

“Yes.” Loki opened his eyes to look at his brother, who was looking at him sympathetically.

“I think you know what you need to do, then.” Thor said and got up. “I will see you on the battlefield, brother.” He gave his brother an encouraging smile and walked out of the conference room.

Loki sat there, contemplating his options. He could technically up and teleport to the location and join the others despite his lack of energy. He still had enough juice in him to land a couple of blows, but that would leave him completely depleted and with no way of a quick escape if the need arose. Another option was to wait a while, replenish his energy and hope the others would be safe in the mean time. It was quite ironic to him that he thought about the safety of the mortals he had once fought against. But that was long in the past. They had made amends and he had joined their team of heroes, becoming an Avenger, a teammate and a friend. Even a best friend to some.

-*-*-*-*-*-

“Sooo, things are back to square one between you and Reindeer Games?” Tony asked as he slid through the doors to the lab.

“Whatever do you mean, Stark?” Amber replied darkly, walking into the lab after him.

“Oh it’s Stark now.” Tony snorted. “Okay, I’ll bite. What’s bothering you?” he shuffled among a stack of papers on his desk until he grabbed a box from underneath.

“The fact that between the two of you, you’ve kept so many secrets!” she huffed in irritation. “What was that about Loki being the initial target?”

Crap, she wasn’t going to leave that alone and Tony knew better than to spill the beans when Loki had not-so-nicely asked him not to breath a word to anyone. “An assumption on my part. A deduction, if you will.” He picked up the box and turned to her nonchalantly. “The security measures had magic interlaced within. Why would Hydra want that if not to incapacitate another magic user who would so conveniently try to tamper with their work?” he raised an eyebrow at her, secretly hoping she’d buy it. She seemed to run the thought in her mind as she frowned in thought. To her it made sense.. somewhat, though she said nothing. “Now let’s try these babies, shall we?”

Seeing that she was dropping the subject, at least for now, he opened the box to reveal a pair of shoulder length dark grey gloves and offered it to Amber. She picked one of them up, running trembling fingers over the soft fabric. Around the wrist was a gunmetal coloured bracelet of some sort, she wondered if it was for decoration or had some purpose. The gloves didn’t seem to have any zipper-like contraptions on them, and they didn’t seem stretchy.

“Made of nano tech, as I’ve mentioned before. The fabric would stretch and contract according to your movements. Has a shielding ability against cold, heat, electricity, thunder, you name it.”

“Magic?” she looked at him.

“Only the kind we are familiar with.” He replied.

“Good enough.” She smirked and proceeded to put them on, but Tony stopped her by putting a hand over hers.

“You need to take off the photostatic veil first.”

“Why?” Amber pulled her arms behind her. She was never comfortable taking the veil off, even in the privacy of her bathroom.

“The gloves replace them. For them to help with the tremors, they need direct contact. The veil stands in the way.”

Amber sighed. While Tony had seen her scars while he first made her the photostatic veil, Peter hadn’t and she felt quite uncomfortable removing them in his presence. They made her look weak and vulnerable, which was not something she wanted her younger teammate and newest employee to witness.

Tony noticed the hesitation and motioned to Peter with his head to give them some privacy. Peter nodded and made up an excuse of needing the bathroom before leaving.

“Thanks.” Amber mumbled at Tony, putting the glove she had in her hand back into the box so she could remove the veil off her arms.

“FRIDAY, secure the lab for a bit, please. This is a private matter.” Tony said, putting the box on the desk and moving over to help Amber with the veil. The glass walls of the lab immediately turned opaque, shielding them from outside views. “Should I leave as well?”

“No, it’s okay. You’ve seen them before.” She picked at the edge of the veil at her shoulder and slowly pulled it down, frowning in process as the ugly scars revealed themselves on her arms. She placed the removed veil on the desk, near the box containing the gloves and moved on with a shaking hand to remove the other. When she couldn’t grab the edge of it at the first go, Tony stepped in. “Here, let me.” He said softly and carefully removed the veil off her other arm.

Amber held both arms before her and stared at them with clenched jaws, the frown never leaving her face. Tony grabbed one of the gloves and held it for her to slide an arm in. She did so and he pulled it all the way to her shoulder. The fabric immediately adjusted itself to her arm and made it a perfect fit, like a second skin. Amber rotated her arm before her. The frown disappearing and replaced by a surprised look. It didn’t shake. She could feel a slight buzzing, but it was so minimal she would have to concentrate to pay attention to it. The pain was still there, though much less than before and was more concentrated around her torso than it was her arms. She can definitely live with that. She held her arms before her again. The gloved one stood balanced and unmoving, while the other was still trembling.

Tony smirked as he held up the other glove and she slid her other arm in. This one also adjusted itself to her and she felt elated by the feeling of ease that she hadn’t felt for the past year.

“Tony, I..” she looked at him with a grin forming on her face for the first time that afternoon.

“There’s one more thing. FRIDAY?” He said and turned Amber around to face the non-glass wall, which opened to reveal a gunmetal coloured suit on a mannequin and next to it similarly coloured combat boots and a black weapon harness.

“You weren’t sitting idly.” She said, walking over to the suit and examining it.

“What do you take me for?” he chuckled. “State of the art suit. Now put it on and take it for a test ride. You can praise me later.” He grinned.

Amber turned to him with a smile, then walked over and hugged him tightly. “Thank you.” She whispered. It felt so good to be able to hug someone without her arms protesting the pressure.

“You’re very welcome, kid. Now go get ready to get your buddy back.” He patted her back as he returned the hug.

She nodded, pulled away from the hug and grabbed the suit and boots before leaving the lab to go get ready.

-*-*-*-*-*-

They were all gathered in the living area when Tony and Amber joined them. Strange and Bruce had arrived as well. Steve and Natasha looked at Amber and smiled in approval of her new attire. She smiled back at them and then looked at Strange with determination.

“Doctor, it’s time.” She said, holding her assault rifle, ready to jump into action.

Tony closed his faceplate as Strange opened the first portal, letting the group securing the perimeter go through first. Then he opened another and Iron Man, Thor, Vision and Bruce walked through. He finally opened the third portal and Amber looked at Steve, “Let’s get our Bucky back.” She said before stepping in, followed by Steve, Wanda and finally Strange.


	10. Chapter 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Writing a fight scene is not my forte. You've been warned?

Loki watched on the monitor from the conference room as everyone left the compound and he was left alone to recharge his batteries. He was not about to sit idly and wait. He needed a fast way to recharge and the only thing he could think of, while Asgard’s resources being permanently lost, was to try and find something at the Sanctum. They had an extensive library and he was sure Wong was capable enough to be able to assist him. With a green flash he teleported himself right outside the Sanctum, dropping to his knees as the energy needed for teleportation exhausted him in his current state.

The door opened the moment he had appeared, revealing a frowning Wong staring down at him. “What did you do this time?” he grumbled, but still helped Loki up to his feet and brought him in.

“Extensive healing spell with no time to recharge. I need your help.” Loki said between breaths.

“You’re an idiot.” Wong stated, taking Loki to the nearest study and have him sit down on a sofa. “I take it they’re gone to the warehouse?”

Loki nodded. “I am to stay behind and recharge. But you know the threat is more than they can handle without me.”

“Agreed.” The librarian replied. “You wait here. Don’t move. Don’t touch anything,” he glared at Loki, knowing full well how curious the God was, “I’ll be back with what’s needed.” He said and immediately left the room.

Loki dropped back against the sofa, waiting for the man to return with whatever he had in mind. He was glad that there was at least one person on this realm who didn’t use many words and basically knew what they were doing. Such a nice contrast to all the sentimental mortals he was residing with. They all had this need to talk through things. He was a firm believer that actions spoke louder than words, even though in his case, said actions took quite a long time resulting in a year long separation and a whole bunch of secrets, which ultimately caused an even bigger rift between involving parties.

About half an hour later, Wong came back with two small vials in hand. Loki had his eyes closed and didn’t even acknowledge the man. Wong huffed and placed the vials on a side table close to Loki. “Great time to nap.” He said, taking a seat on an armchair across from Loki.

“Not napping. Resting my eyes.” Loki said as he opened his eyes and glared at Wong, who glared back. The man had no other facial setting it seemed. He then noticed the vials on the table near him and picked them up. One contained a clear liquid, the other a bright lime coloured one.

“You drink the glowing one first. It will replenish your magical energy within minutes.” Wong said.

“And this one?” Loki raised the vial with clear liquid.

“Water. For the nasty after taste.” Wong shrugged as Loki raised an eyebrow. “We’re not savages.”

“Appreciated.” Loki said and drank the glowing liquid first. He cringed at the horrible taste it contained and quickly drank the water. Sighing in relief when his taste buds were instantly relieved. “You weren’t joking about the nasty after-taste.” 

“I never joke.” Wong raised his chin in a dignified manner. How dare the Asgardian accuse him of such thing? Joking was for children, not for a respected sorcerer!

“Noted.” Loki put the vials back on the side table and leaned back on the sofa, closing his eyes as he felt a pleasant warmth spread through his body. 

“Has Strange found anything useful regarding the blood magic?” he asked without bothering to look at Wong.

“He has.”

“This is where you do more than giving me short answers, mortal.” Loki practically growled.

“Do not threaten me.”

“I’m not. I’m giving you instructions on how to answer a question.”

“It was a close-ended question.”

Now Loki was amused. Only Wong would nit pick a question at a time like this. He smirked as he opened his eyes and looked at the librarian. “Alright, what did Strange find and how can it help us?”

Wong smirked back at Loki. So he does have other facial settings, Loki thought, highly amused.

“In normal circumstances, one would only need to knock out the Winter Soldier for them to break the hold of the trigger words have on him, right?”

“So I’ve been told.” Loki says. He had never been confronted by the Winter Soldier before. It was an uncharted territory for him. All the information he had were tales told either by his teammates or Stark’s AI.

“Well, this time it’s different. Simply knocking him out won’t do. Strange said his own blood was used for the spell?”

“From what I gathered, yes. He had multiple lacerations and blood all over him.”

“Good. All you need to do is spill his blood and do a certain incantation. It should knock him out. Spill his blood again, with another incantation and it should break the spell.”

“Where’s the catch?”

Wong raised an impressed eyebrow. He liked a well informed audience. Blood magic always came with a catch and very few realized it.

“You’ll need the Silver Dagger to do the second.”

Loki had to swallow a lump in his throat. Strange was potentially walking into his own demise. If that dagger came anywhere close to him, it could, no, it will kill him. Great, that was just what they needed now. Doom had probably made an extensive plan to lure him and Strange there, what with the only daggers that could kill both of them in currently in his possession. Just peachy! He groaned as he leaned his elbows over his knees and held his head in his hands. “This is a suicide mission.” He sighed.

“Aren’t they all?” Wong sighed as well, getting up. “How are you feeling?”

Loki straightened up and closed his eyes for a moment before answering. “Restored.” He opened his eyes and stood up. “Thank you.”

“Don’t get killed.” Wong said and left the room.

Loki smirked at the librarian and vanished in a green glow.

-*-*-*-*-*-

As the first group stepped out of the portal, they quickly took cover and watched the surroundings for any Doombots. Communicators turned on, they whispered instructions at each other as they kept watch and slowly advanced towards the building.

The second group was met with hostility from the get-go. Doombots started attacking the moment they stepped into the container hall and the team of Avengers fought back.

The third portal opened in the room where Bucky was being held earlier. It was now empty, save for a broken chair at the end of it and blood splatters on the floor. Strange silently cast a spell to reveal the rune circle Loki had told him about. Wanda gasped slightly at the sight. Amber and Steve just glared at the amount of blood belonging to their best friend that was covering the room. Strange knelt near the circle, carefully touched the edge of it and then stood up.

“Do not step on the runes. The curse is active. We need to find Bucky and the Silver Dagger for this to work.” He said, and gave them a quick run on how breaking the curse was to be done.

“Wanda can control his mind to safely bring him here.” Amber said. She did not like the fact they needed to injure him to knock him out.

“If he doesn’t knock us out first. We need to make sure he doesn’t get away.” The determination in Steve’s voice was evident. He knew Bucky was planning something, but he didn’t know it would backfire this badly, and it pissed him off. The Winter Soldier was a force to be reckoned with. He hated that it was his best friend.

“Let’s split then. Doctor, you’re with me. Wanda, you’re with Cap.” Amber held her AK-308 ready. She knew it probably wouldn’t help against Doombots, since they were magically controlled, but it was good enough to temporarily incapacitate them while on the search for Bucky. And if push came to shove, Bucky wasn’t immune to bullets. She simply hoped it wouldn’t come to that, despite what Strange had just told them.

The sounds of firearms and shouting could be heard from where they walked through the corridors. They were probably close to where Iron Man and his team were. Amber pressed twice on her communicator, which would send Iron Man a signal that she was connected but will not be talking for the time being.

“We got things under control.” Tony spoke, knowing she would hear him. “These stupid things just won’t die.” She heard a repulsor being fired. “You just find Bucky and do your thing. Let us know if you need us.”

She stopped at a corner where the corridor split into two directions and motioned for the others to halt. She looked around the corner to both sides. Seeing no-one, she motioned for them to split up. Steve and Wanda took to the right, while Amber and Strange to the left.

“Do you have any tracking abilities?” she whispered to Strange.

“Not unless I had a tracking spell placed on the subject beforehand.”

She nodded and took a pair of glasses out of a chest pocket and put them on. A quick tap on the side of the frame and FRIDAY spoke in her earpiece. “Welcome agent Bishop.”

“Find Bucky.” She whispered as she continued walking along the walls of the corridor, stealthily checking each room they passed and found them empty.

The AI went silent for a while and then a small screen appeared at the bottom corner of her glasses, showing a bright heat signature on a lower floor, surrounded by several cold signatures. She couldn’t tell if that was Bucky or Doom, but she assumed it was her friend. Doom wouldn’t have such a warm heat signature with all the metal around his body. The cold signatures must be Doombots. They were outnumbered and she knew they needed the others to keep the Doombots out of the way.

“Container hall secured.” Came Starks voice through the earpiece.

“Nothing on our side yet.” Came Steve’s voice.

“Perimeter secure.” It was Natasha.

“Found Winter Soldier. Lower level. With Doombots.” Amber whispered. 

“I see them.” Tony had a visual on the heat signatures. “They’re moving. FRIDAY give me visuals where they’re heading.”

“Iron Man watch out!” Amber heard Thor yelling through the ear piece followed by shots being fired.

“Shit. Tony do you copy?” She started running down the corridor, followed closely by Strange. “FRIDAY update on Iron Man.” 

“Seems the suit is damaged. I can’t connect to the system!” If an AI could panic, that was how FRIDAY sounded at that moment.

“Anyone got eyes on Iron Man?” she asked.

“His suit is damaged, but he’s alright.” Vision responded.

“Cap, Wanda, head to the container hall. Winter Soldier is there.” She yelled, not caring to be heard since it was already known they were there.

“Do you need us?” Natasha spoke.

“Keep watch outside in case more show up.”

Once they reached the hall Amber froze for a moment. Bucky, no, the Winter Soldier was in full battle mode, currently dodging punches from Vision and responding with his own.

“Fuck.” She mumbled, hating to have to do this, but it was for his own good. Strange had immediately engaged a couple of Doombots and she looked for cover behind some boxes. She raised her head to get a view where the Winter Soldier was and propped her rifle on top of the stack of boxes for balance. She took aim at his leg, then decided against it. They needed him walking, so she aimed for the arm. Once she had a clear shot, she fired.

The Winter Soldier was moving fast trying to dodge Vision’s attack, but that didn’t stop him from hearing a shot being fired at him and pulled away just in time for the bullet to lightly graze his skin. He looked at a Doombot to his left, which immediately charged at Vision, keeping him out of the Winter Soldier’s way, whose attention had turned to the source of the shot aimed at him.

Amber fired another shot, this time at the head of a Doombot that was advancing at her. She took another aim at her estranged friend and shot again. He swiftly blocked the bullet with his metal arm. Damned vibranium. He took out a gun out of its holster on his hip and aimed at her.

“Bucky, no!” Steve jumped in front of Amber, holding his shield up to cover them both as the bullet bounced off it. He threw the shield at the Winter Soldier, hitting him in the shoulder and making him lose balance for a moment. That gave Steve momentum to jump at him and engage in close combat.

The best friends fought each other viciously. Steve kept calling Bucky to wake up, while knowing that never worked in the past but there was always a small part of him that still believed it might work.

Wanda fought her way to where they were and sent a surge of red energy to the fighting pair, aimed at the Winter Soldier. Her eyebrows shot up when it simply bounced off of him. She tried again, and once more it bounced off. “Strange, it’s not working! I can’t control his mind!”

“Doom must have infused the blood magic with his own!” he said, sending a Doombot crashing with an energy surge.

The Winter Soldier fought hard against Captain America, delivering punch after punch, kicking and head-butting. Thor was zapping Doombots with lightning bolts left and right, while the Hulk was having a field day smashing everything that moved around him.

Amber decided shooting again is not an option and she jumped into action, coming between the best friends and used her arm to block a punch the Winter Soldier was delivering at the Captain.

“Hey, whaddayaknow.” She smirked. She was liking the gloves already. Her moment didn’t last long since the attention was turned on her now. The soldier came at her in full force, and when the captain tried to intervene he took out another gone and shot him without even looking. Steve dropped to the floor, bending over due to the pain in his abdomen. Whatever material Stark had used to make his suit seemed to block damage, but not pain. His stomach was going to bruise badly, he was sure of it.

Amber threw her rifle into the holster on her back and engaged in close-combat. She felt rusty for not training at all for the past year and it showed. Not that she would have been able to train, given the circumstances. She kept dodging kicks and punches and was forced to move backwards, until a punch hit her jaw and sent her through the doors. She fell to the ground of a corridor and the Winter Soldier was instantly on top of her, hands around her neck.

“Bucky, no..” she grabbed at his hands, trying to pry them off, but to no avail. “Bucky, please..”

A shot of green hit the Winter Soldier from the side, forcing him off of Amber and sending him down the corridor. He shook his head and got up, baring his teeth in a vicious grin upon seeing the source of the blast.

Loki stood at the other end of the corridor, a ball of green energy between his palms. As the Winter Soldier advanced at him, Loki fired at him, sending him further down the corridor.

Amber coughed and shook her head to clear the fogginess she was experiencing due to the almost asphyxiation. When she got on one knee, a pair of hands grabbed at her arm to steady her and she turned to look into Loki’s eyes. He had a slight frown on his face and didn’t say anything as he helped her up and turned his attention back to the Winter Soldier.

The building started to shake as the Hulk kept smashing his way through walls while fighting off the Doombots that didn’t seem to stop appearing from every corner. The Avengers were surrounded and try hard to hold their ground. By now even the team securing the outdoor perimeters were engaging in a fight at the entrance. Tony was out of his suit and was fighting with manual repulsors, aiming for the heads, which seemed to be the most effective so far. Strange and Vision had managed to get themselves out of the hall and gone to look for Doom and the daggers.

The chaos was overwhelming, though it looked like Loki was thriving on it. He matched the feral grin of the Winter Soldier as both charged at each other once more. Amber took out her hand guns and charged as well, firing at whatever Doombot dared to cross her path as she dodged their attacks.

“We need to evacuate!” Clint yelled through the comms. “It’s getting out of hand out here!”

“Bishop, what’s the situation with Bucky?” Steve’s voice was heard next.

“Working on it!” she yelled as she tried to aim at her friend, but Loki kept getting in the way. She cursed under her breath as she couldn’t get a clear shot. “Strange! Vision! Any news? Thor, help outside!”

Loki and the Winter Soldier were going at it hard. Both holding their own at throwing punches and dodging those of the other. Neither of them was holding back. 

When Amber’s guns were empty, she threw them aside as she dodged another Doombot and reached for her rifle once more, opening fire on a number of them.

“The dagger doesn’t seem to be in the building!” The irritation in Strange’s voice through the comms was palpable.

Amber cursed again as she made way towards Loki and the Winter Soldier. “Start evacuation, then!” she gave the order and came to a halt as Loki threw yet another ball of energy at the Winter Soldier, who managed to dodge it this time. She aimed the rifle, having only a few rounds left within the magazine before she had to reload. Loki was still in the way of her aim. She kept moving from side to side, wanting to shoot without hitting him, but the God just kept blocking her! “Loki you’re in my way!”

“Fire away, damn it!” he yelled.

“OUT OF THE WAY!” she yelled back.

“FUCKING DO IT!” 

Clenching her jaw as she mentally kept cursing, she took aim and shot. The first round missed both. She had maybe two or three left, she couldn’t tell. She changed her position, aimed again and was about to take the shot when something suddenly shined in the Winter Soldier’s hand.

“Is that..?”

Loki jumped back when the Silver Dagger was flung at him. “AMBER TAKE THE SHOT!”

“Fuckfuckfuck.. STRANGE, BUCKY HAS THE DAGGER!” she yelled as she adjusted her aim. “Loki you’re still in the way, damn it.” Her voice was lower now, a hint of worry in it.

Loki threw a shield around him, which the Winter Soldier managed to rip through with the dagger as he kept attacking. “Amber, do it. It’s fine. I promise. Take the shot!”

The Winter Soldier threw the dagger lightly in the air, flipping its position in his hand to hold it in a reverse grip. He jumped at Loki, aiming the weapon at his chest.

Amber took a single shot at the same moment Loki collided with the Winter Soldier. The bullet going through Loki’s shoulder and meeting its target and planting itself into the soldier’s chest. She held her breath as both men froze for a moment, before both of them collapsed to the ground.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Excuse me while I go cry in a corner.


	11. Chapter 11

“Strange..” her whisper into the comms was shaky as she holstered her rifle and ran towards her friends. She dropped next to them, not really knowing whom to tend to first. Her eyes went wide in shock as she saw the Silver Dagger planted to the hilt into Loki’s shoulder. “STRANGE! PORTAL!” she called at the top of her lungs as uncontrollable tears started flowing down her cheeks.

The next moments felt like a haze as Stephen Strange appeared next to her. She fought against Steve who helped her up while a few of her teammates helped transfer both Loki and Bucky back through a portal to the med bay at the compound.

Almost everyone, save for Bruce, was sporting an injury in one form or another. They were mostly superficial, save for Clint sporting a nice deep cut along his thigh, courtesy of a Doombot that decided it was too attached to the archer to let him get away easily. He tried his best to keep a light mood about it as he talked to his wife over the phone, informing her he would be staying at the compound for a couple of days until he can put some weight on his leg before he could go home to continue recovering and joking about the new scar he would be adding to his current collection.

Vision was tending to Wanda’s superficial cuts, calming her in the soothing voice he had, which she appreciated in such situations. Natasha took care of her own injuries, since they didn’t require any medical attention. Tony and Pepper were at the lab, Pepper trying to tend to Tony’s injuries while he fussed about his suit malfunctioning.

Doctor Strange and Thor worked together with the medical staff trying to remove the Silver Dagger from Loki’s body. Thor assuring them that while Loki’s recovery may be significantly slowed down due to the weapon inflicting it, but it wasn’t lethal. He wasn’t really sure though whether the reassurances he was giving were meant for the staff or for himself. They were extremely lucky Bucky had the Silver Dagger and not Loki’s own at hand.

While the surgeons continued suturing Loki’s injuries, Strange took the dagger to where Bucky was being held in sedation. He called for Wong to help him with performing the ritual to break the blood magic, since Loki was currently injured and still in surgery. Steve stood right outside the room where Bucky was being kept, watching with a deep frown through the small glass window how Strange and Wong carefully tended to his best friend. They had informed him how the ritual was going to go, and that he shouldn’t be alarmed when they drew blood using the dagger. That his friend was safe and was going to recover from the curse.

Amber sat alone at the waiting area of the med bay. She waved the nurses off when they tried to check her for injuries. She was fine she had told them. A few scratches here and there were not worth the attention. She’d take care of them later. She had just shot both her friends. While having done it to save one, she had to injure the other. Only she was too slow and the cursed dagger came into play out of thin air. And now she had no idea what consequences it would have on him. Though she worried, she was still mad at him. What if she had killed either of them? Maybe she shouldn’t have gotten into battle and should have stayed in her room. The cold way Bucky had stared into her eyes were still haunting her. It was the first time she was confronted by the Winter Soldier. Her best friend didn’t even acknowledge her, let alone recognize her. It was agonizing.

It felt like everything was taking way too long. Loki unconscious, Strange and Wong still working on breaking the blood magic’s tight hold on Bucky. Amber felt hopeless. There was nothing for her to do other than to keep worrying about both of them. She knew she shouldn’t feel guilty, but it seemed that a year into retirement changed certain things. She wasn’t sure she liked it.

Thor soon came to join her side, sitting next to her on the sofa in silence. She was leaning her elbows over her knees, head hung down as she waited. She wasn’t sure what she was waiting for. She simply did.

Thor put a hand over her shoulder, prompting her to look up at him. Her eyes were red and slightly swollen from trying to hold back more tears. He gave her a sad smile as he gave her shoulder a light squeeze. “You did well.” He said softly.

“I was too slow.” She shook her head. “I shouldn’t have been.”

“They’ll both be fine, eventually.”

“How can you be so sure?” she wiped her eyes as tears started building up again.

“Barnes is being taken care of by the most capable sorcerers on this realm. And my brother is too stubborn to let something as simple as a stab wound keep him down for long.”

“You forget that I shot them.”

Thor shrugged. “Mortal weapons do not cause us much problem. Sure, it hurts like a bitch, but overall it’s like a scratch. Barnes is enhanced, he should recover quickly as well.”

She shook her head again, not really believing it was all that easy. “I should be more pissed at them than before we headed out to the warehouse.” She looked at Thor. “Instead I’m about to lose my mind from worry, Thor.” She couldn’t hold the sob that unintentionally escaped her throat. “I’m scared.” Her tears started flowing involuntarily as Thor gathered her in his arms, holding her against him as she silently sobbed onto his chest.

“It’s alright.” He ran a hand over her head as she cried. It was the only thing to do for her right now, and he didn’t mind being there for the person he knew for sure his brother had strong feelings for.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Natasha walked up to Steve, standing next to him as he watched the sorcerers intently with a deep frown on his face. As he noticed her from the corner of his eye, he sneaked an arm around her shoulders, holding her tight as she looked into the room.

“Any idea if it’s working?” she asked softly.

“No.” He replied. “How’s Amber holding up?”

“Thor’s trying to comfort her.”

“Good. Someone should. I could have, but.. I worry about him.”

“I know. As well as she.”

He nodded, eyes still fixated over his friend.

“Have you seen Peter?” Natasha suddenly asked.

“No, why?” Steve finally turned to look at her.

“I haven’t seen him since we returned.”

“When was the last time you saw him?”

Natasha gave it a thought for a moment, raised an eyebrow at the realization. “When more Doombots showed up.”

The two of them suddenly turned their heels and ran towards the lab where Tony was still fussing over his suit.

“Tony, have you seen Peter?” Natasha asked the moment they walked in.

Tony raised his head from within the remains of his suit and looked aside to a monitor then looked back at her. “Uhh, yeah.” He motioned towards the monitor with his head, and bent down to continue working.

“Where the hell is he?” she asked, walking up to the monitor.

“Tony, did you leave him behind? Alone?” Steve asked, his voice rising.

“No, Karen’s with him.” He blindly reached for a screwdriver. “And by extension, also FRIDAY and me.”

Steve blinked. “Are you kidding me? What is he doing there? What if Doom catches him?”

“Doom’s not there.” Tony threw the screwdriver aside and grabbed a cloth to wipe his hands. He walked around the table and sat down in front of a computer, started typing a code. “Apparently he had disappeared the moment Bucky showed up.”

“So why let the kid stay behind?” Natasha asked, watching the video feed Karen was transmitting from the Spiderman suit.

“I’m looking for clues.” Came Peter’s voice through the speakers. “So far nothing, though. Sorry Mr. Stark.”

“Keep looking, kid. Happy’s on his way to pick you up, by the way.” Tony replied as he finished typing his code and turned to his teammates. “The area is clear, by the way. Seems the remaining Doombots disappeared the moment we did. Only the remains of the rest are left behind.”

“That’s pretty weird.” Natasha observed.

“Which is why Spiderman is conducting an essential search.”

Steve raised his arms in resignation and sighed. “I’m going back to med bay. Let me know if he finds something?”

“Sure, Cap.” Tony gave him a thumbs up with a grin. Steve shook his head as he left.

“You’re quite cheerful.” Natasha folded her arms as she observed him.

“I dare say today was a win.” He shrugged. “We got Barnes and one of the daggers back. Gandalf is now officially safe.”

Natasha rolled her eyes. Only Tony could see the day as a win, despite the critical condition two of their teammates were in. Not to mention a third teammate probably wallowing in self-guilt as they spoke.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Doctor Strange and Wong had succeeded in breaking the curse. It took them a few hours to get it safely done, and they only returned to the Sanctum when they were confident that when Bucky woke up, he would be free from the Winter Soldier. At least for the time being, since there was no way for them to know whether the trigger words were still lingering or not. He probably wouldn’t need to go to Wakanda again, but it wouldn’t harm to consult Shuri about it, they had suggested.

Steve came into the room after the sorcerers had left and took a seat next to Bucky’s bed. Even though he knew his friend wouldn’t be waking up until probably the next day, he still wanted to stay with him for a while. Bucky would have done the same if it was him laying there.

Thor had gone to stay at Loki’s side. Due to the magic in the Silver Dagger, Thor believed it would take a while until Loki would wake up, though he couldn’t be sure. His knowledge on the matter was minimal and neither of the sorcerers could give him an answer to that, seeing as they have never encountered an Asgardian, or in Loki’s case, a Jotunn who was stabbed by the dagger. Asgard’s vast library was no more, and neither were his parents. He didn’t have any means to get answers about the consequences or the outcome of such a wound. He simply had to wait it out.

Amber stayed in the waiting room. Refusing to eat or drink, only getting up occasionally to use the restroom to wash her face. Those damned tears didn’t seem to want to stop. At least she managed to stop sobbing at some point. She was grateful for Thor’s comfort. He didn’t have to sit with her crying like a child in his arms for a full hour. He had only left when she assured him she was fine and that he needed to go be with his brother. She turned aside on the sofa, leaning against the backrest and lifting her legs up and pulling her knees to her chest. She rested her head sideways against the back of the seat, closing her eyes while still waiting.

It seemed that everyone had made an appearance at the waiting area at some point or another. Pepper coming with food, which got sent back. Natasha bringing warm drinks, also sent back. Bruce tried to talk to her. Amber listened silently to any and everyone who asked her to go to her room and rest. She thanked them all for their concern and insisted she was feeling well enough to stay. She needed to stay. It was the least she could do. Both men she was mad at had stayed with her a whole night, waiting for her to wake up. They did that even in the past after any mission where she would be injured. It had sort of become their thing. She was the only “regular” person in their small team, so she was more prone to injuries than the both of them. Only now she couldn’t decide on which room to wait in. The only consolation she had in the matter was the fact that both men had someone sitting by their bedside right now. The waiting room seemed to be a good enough compromise for her. Somewhere in between, attention divided equally.

She was still mad at them, though. Mad at Loki for all the secret keeping and not admitting to his mistakes. And mad at Bucky for being an idiot and jumping into a scouting mission without taking into account he might get caught by someone who’s quite adept in the dark version of the Mystic Arts. Or maybe he did, but didn’t care. She couldn’t be sure.

It was almost two in the morning. Thor and Steve had retreated to their rooms not an hour ago, both first checking up on Amber on the way. Steve had stayed with her for a bit before going to get some rest. She had stayed in her curled position the whole time. She didn’t feel like moving as her limbs felt too heavy to put any effort into it. She was grateful for the gloves Tony had made her. They took the strain off her arms splendidly. Without them, her arms would have been shaking horribly by now, not to mention uncomfortably painful. Right now only her torso was feeling a bit too sensitive. Next time, if there would ever be one, she’d wear a different protective undergarment. She sighed as she kept her eyes closed, wiping her face with a gloved hand for the umpteenth time that evening. 

She heard steps approaching her but didn’t bother to pay attention. A soft fabric was neatly placed over her shoulders, which made her finally open her eyes and look up. It was Tony. He took a seat beside her, turning sideways so he could face her. He propped his elbow over the back of the sofa and leaned his head against his hand.

“How’re you holding up?” he asked with a soft smile on his lips.

“Had better days.” She shrugged, pulling the blanket over her shoulder and closer to her neck. The warmth it provided was nice.

“How long are you planning on staying here?”

“As long as it takes.” She leaned her head against the backrest again and looked at him. “How are they?”

“Stable. Sedated.”

“Did you get hurt?”

“Just a few scratches. The usual.”

“Your suit?”

“Disappointment of the century. Been trying to figure out what caused the malfunction and how to prevent it in the future.”

She nodded at that.

“I haven’t eaten all day. You?” he asked, while knowing full well she hasn’t either.

“I’m not hungry.”

“That’s not what I asked.”

She rolled her eyes. “I had ice cream in the afternoon.”

“Well, I’m kind of hungry and I don’t like to eat alone. Would you join me?”

“Rain check?”

“Nope. Please?”

“Tony, I need to stay.”

“Didn’t say anything about leaving.” He grinned and tapped on his watch. “FRIDAY, have some food sent to us. And some drinks.”

“Right away, Boss.” Came the AI’s reply from the watch.

“I’m not hungry.”

“You said so, but I am.”

She closed her eyes again. There was no point in arguing with him at this point.

After 20 minutes of silence, an Iron Man suit came over with a food trolley full with an assortment of late night finger food and some non alcoholic drinks. Tony thanked his AI as he grabbed a plate and started filling it for himself, softly humming a random tune as he did so.

Whatever was on the trolley, it made Amber’s stomach grumble in protest of being left to starve since the previous afternoon. She shifted in her seat, frowning at herself under closed eyes. She wasn’t hungry and her stomach was being stupid.

“God this is delicious.” Tony said as he popped a bacon cream cheese bite into his mouth.

Amber knew what he was doing. She opened her eyes and glared at him. He continued eating like she wasn’t there, food in one hand and scrolling through messages on his phone with the other. Every now and then he’d take a sip of juice, making satisfied noises at the taste of the food like it was the most exquisite thing he had eaten in the last ten years.

Amber huffed and closed her eyes again. She won’t give up. She didn’t have any appetite and was too consumed in guilt and worry to even consider feeding herself. Tony recognized that. He had been there several times in the past. Only with Pepper’s continuous nagging did he ever give up on being stubborn and put some food into his system. He knew nagging wouldn’t work with Amber, but how long could her stomach hold up to the tasty smell of food being so close within reach? Not that long, he figured. Even the spies among their teammates were not immune to the delicious smell of food when they hadn’t eaten for so long.

Grabbing a chicken satay skewer, he turned it around and examined the way the peanut sauce dripped off of it. “So tell me,” he turned to look at her as she opened her eyes again, frowning. “Are you just being stubborn or wallowing in self-pity?”

“Why would I pity myself?”

“Just wondering.” He shrugged, biting at a piece of chicken on the skewer. He spoke again after swallowing. “You had Reindeer Games heal you, went into battle mode, shot your teammates and both ended up here. I see no reason not to play the self-pity card.”

Amber sighed. He was trying to push her buttons into getting her to eat. Why couldn’t he just accept that she simply didn’t feel like it? “Stark,”

“Uh oh, it’s Stark now.”

She rolled her eyes. “Tony, I know what you’re doing. I’m not hungry, I don’t have any appetite right now, okay? I don’t appreciate being treated like a kid.”

“A kid would have been force fed by now.” He pointed out, taking another bite of he chicken. “Let’s say you don’t eat. Loki and Bucky stay unconscious for another day or two. You gonna skip meals for as long as they’re down?”

“I’ll eat when I need to. Right now I don’t.”

He put the skewer down and grabbed a napkin to wipe his mouth and hands. Then he turned to face her, bringing his legs up on the sofa to cross them. He reached for her arm that was wrapped around her knees and grabbed her hand. “Amber, please listen to me. If you want to stay here and wait for either of them to wake up, fine by me. But please, for the love of whatever you hold dear, eat something. If you starve yourself you won’t even be fit enough to walk to either of the rooms by the time they wake up!”

She took a deep, shuddered breath and exhaled slowly. He had a point. She wasn’t an enhanced individual who could go long without food. Even the most skilled spies and agents had to eat every now and then. She hasn’t been one for a year now and her body did require sustenance. With a low grumble in her throat she pointed at one of the bacon cheese wraps and Tony handed her one. She mumbled her thanks as she bit into it, savouring the taste as she frowned at Tony, who was grinning at her like he manipulative idiot he was.

“You’re evil.” She muttered and put the rest of the wrap into her mouth.

“If that’s what it takes, sure.” He shrugged and handed her a glass of juice. She took it and sat up straight, crossing her legs before taking a sip. Her throat was thanking her for the smooth liquid finally washing away the dryness. He grabbed a plate and filled it with a few different types of bite sized food, then handed it to her.

She placed it between her legs and picked a mini-BLT. “You know,” she said as she admired the little sandwich between her fingers. “It feels weird holding this without my hands shaking.” A little smile formed on her lips. “Thanks, again, for the gloves.”

Tony nodded, mirroring her smile. “It was my pleasure. Sorry it took a while.”

“Better late than never.”

“Yep.”

Tony sat with her, eating and making small chat until she finished the whole plate he had handed her and then some. Only then he decided he would go get some sleep, since he had some work to do during the day and he needed to be fully awake for it.

It was almost four in the morning when Tony had gone to bed and Amber resumed her curled up seating position on the sofa. Her body ached for some sleep, but she was wide awake. To compromise, she closed her eyes every now and then, but images of her shooting her best friends and both of them dropping like puppets kept haunting her. She has killed many in the past, injured even more, even allies, but never these two. That was probably the reason she was having a hard time about it. If it was anyone else, she would have just apologized and maybe bought them a ‘I’m really sorry I shot you’ flowers or something and called it a day. But right here and now, that was not the case, and it sucked. She felt she was thrown back to her rookie days when every little scratch she caused others had her worry for days if people were cross with her. It had taken her a couple of years to develop immunity against that sort of thing. Injuries in her line of profession were the norm. Accidents happened and no one would think twice about it unless it was caused by an enemy. 

What made it even worse this time, is the fact Doom wasn’t at the warehouse. He didn’t even join the fight and simply sent Bucky at them along with the Doombots. He was planning something, but none of them knew what it was, nor did they have the means to find that out.. yet. Soon maybe, but not yet.

By the first signs of dawn, a nurse walked over to her and lay a gentle hand over her shoulder. Amber looked at her and was met by gentle smile.

“Sergeant Barnes is waking up, if you’d like to see him?” 

Amber nodded, turning aside to sit up straight. She took a deep breath before she stood up, gathering the thin blanket around her shoulders and with quick steps she went to Bucky’s room.

She hadn’t noticed when Steve had come back, because now he was sleeping in an armchair in a corner of the room. She walked over to him and gently laid the blanket over him, then she walked over to Bucky. He had his eyes closed, but as soon as she stopped right next to his side, he slowly opened his eyes and looked at her with a slight frown.

Amber’s heart skipped a beat as she wondered for a moment if the Winter Soldier was still there, despite the sorcerers’ reassurance that the curse had been removed. The moment Bucky’s frown turned into a smile her heart sank and she smiled back, tears flowing down her cheeks in silence.

“Since when do you cry?” he whispered.

“Apparently it comes in the handbook of how to shoot your bestie.” She shrugged.

“Don’t cry for me, Argentina~” he attempted to sing in whisper, making Amber giggle.

“You jerk.” She whispered. “I’m glad you’re okay.” She sat down at his side and leaned over to kiss his cheek.

“Yeah, me too. This hurts like a bitch, though.” He motioned at his chest wound.

“Was our only option, given the circumstances.” She looked down into her lap.

“Wait, let me see your neck.” He said and she raised her head to reveal her bruised neck. “Shit, Amber, I’m so sorry.” He reached with his metal arm to hold her hand and she let him. “I’m really sorry I did that.” He looked pained as he apologized to her.

“It’s okay, I’ve heard stories about the Winter Soldier. It was kind of scary confronting him.” She was smiling lightly. “I mean, because it’s you, but at the same time it’s not you. Am I making any sense?”

“Perfectly.” He nodded. “Though I don’t remember much after Loki came for me. Where is he by the way?”

“In another room.” She looked at him, giving a tight lipped smile before looking down into her lap again.

Bucky slowly tried to sit up. “What else did I do?”

“It was more a joint effort?” she shrugged.

“And?”

“Had to shoot him in order to get to you. He kept getting in the way. And you stabbed him with the Silver Dagger.”

“WHAT?!” his eyes shot open at that. Steve jolted awake and stared at the blanket from nowhere that was covering him.

“See, now you woke up Steve.” Amber said, turning to look at Steve. “Didn’t mean to, sorry!”

“It’s alright.” Steve smiled, relieved that his best friend was awake and apparently well enough to jerk him awake by a yelp. “Hey buddy.” He got up and walked over to the bed.

“Hey.” Bucky smiled at Steve, putting his thoughts about Loki aside for a moment. “You look like shit.”

“Thanks, you too.” The captain grinned.

“I’ll go grab us some coffee. Amber?” Steve looked at her.

“Black, please.” She smiled.

“Good.” Steve smiled back and went to the corridor where the coffee machine was.

“What was that about?” Bucky asked, raising a suspicious eyebrow at Amber.

“He was trying to get me to eat last night while I had no appetite.”

“Kid, not that again.” Bucky sighed, running a metal hand over her arm.

“Tony kind of tricked me into eating a bit. So..” she shrugged.

“Remind me to thank him later.” He then noticed the gloves she was wearing. “Wait, are those..”

“Yep.” She held both arms up and Bucky saw they weren’t shaking.

“Awesome.” He said in awe.

“I know!” Amber grinned. “It felt good to hold my rifle again.”

“I bet.” He grinned back. “We should totally train together again.”

“Might just take you up on that.” She nodded.

Steve came back with three coffees and handed both Amber and Bucky theirs before he grabbed his and sat down on the other side of Bucky’s bed. “So how long do you think until you’re up and about?” he asked, taking a sip of his drink.

“I don’t feel any different than the last time I went under. So I’d assume by tonight I’ll definitely be sleeping in my own bed. Chest wound should be healed in two or three days.”

“You lucky bastard.” Amber huffed, a twinkle in her eyes. “Actually, the both of you. I’m so jealous right now, you have no idea.”

“I guess we kind of are lucky.” Steve smirked, looking at his friend and then at Amber. “The only two surviving the serum.”

“Like I said, lucky bastards.” She grinned, and both men laughed.

“Now that you both have your energy beverages at hand, tell me what happened with Loki.” Bucky said, sipping on his coffee and sitting cross-legged on the bed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm not _that_ evil.


	12. Chapter 12

By noon Bucky was feeling much like himself. The pain in his shoulder was numbed with painkillers, but he was up and walking around, despite the doctor’s orders. Naturally, he used the super serum as an excuse to get up and move. The first thing he did while out of bed was to drag Amber along with him to go to Loki’s room. Much to her protests, he pushed her in first and closed the door behind him as he followed her. She had grumbled at him, telling him she shouldn’t be there because she was still mad at him. The doctor had told them that Loki was completely knocked out by the effect of the Silver Dagger, and he wouldn’t be waking up for a while. Though there was no telling how long that would be. So as to their unwritten tradition of keeping vigil in the room of an injured teammate, they sat on the sofa in the room and Bucky asked Amber to tell him why she was mad at Loki now, because the last thing he remembered was them being all lovey-dovey the morning before.

Amber had told him everything, like she always did. She didn’t have any secrets or reservations when it came to Bucky. Sometimes it made her stop and wonder how did she get from being a private person to spilling her guts to a guy whom she wasn’t even romantically involved in. Then again, he was her best friend and that was what best friends did. They had no secrets from each other. She was glad that Bucky reciprocated the feelings. Sure, Steve was also his best friend. They even grew up together. But one could have more than one best friend and Amber felt blessed that she was Bucky’s other best friend and that he was hers.

Day in and day out, they stayed in Loki’s room either talking, arguing, pestering each other or sleeping. A second bed was brought in for Bucky, since he still had a healing wound on his chest. Amber opted to claim the sofa, saying it was more comfortable. Everyone knew that was a big fat lie, but they played along, especially since a third hospital bed would have made the room a bit too crowded. Thor had spent time with them in the room. They watched movies, played cards, ate, drank. They were practically living there, all the while Loki slumbered in his coma-like sleep.

-*-*-*-*-*-

A week had passed and there was no activity from Doom, which for them was lucky. Most of the Avengers were still recovering from the fight they had against the Doombots and the Winter Soldier. Doom jumping back into action was highly undesirable at this moment. Not that they couldn’t handle it. It’s just that they wanted some rest to recharge and heal. Tony spent most of the days either in the lab, looking for signs of Doom, or in his workshop, working on yet another of his suits. Michelle was running the cafe and kept sending Amber updates through messages. Sometimes even photos when something noteworthy or funny was happening. One of her newest drinks had become quite popular among their regular customers and Amber was feeling proud of her, at the same time extremely sorry that she couldn’t go to work for the time being, but Michelle kept telling her that her priority was to be there with her friends. Amber made a mental note to give Michelle a raise as a thank you for being an awesome human being.

On the evening of the tenth day Bucky was off with Steve to the training room, exercising and working on his chest muscles after his wound had significantly healed. Amber stayed at Loki’s bedside that evening, reading an e-book on her phone and listening to music through her earphones.

She didn’t notice when she subconsciously slid her hand over the bed and entwined her fingers with Loki’s, while she kept reading on her phone and bobbing her head to one of her favorite songs. She didn’t realize she was softly humming the song. Didn’t even notice a tired pair of green eyes slowly opening and watching her in silence.

When the song finished and another started playing, she let a soft smile grace her lips as she hummed the tune to it. Another favorite of hers. One that always held a special meaning to her heart. She absentmindedly ran her gloved thumb over Loki’s skin on the side of his hand. Sure, she couldn’t feel his skin due to the fabric, but it was the thought that mattered. Her heart skipped a beat when she felt a movement over her own hand. She looked at their entwined fingers with a slight frown. First of all, when did her hand get there? And second of all, why was Loki’s own thumb caressing the side of her hand, imitating her movement? When realization hit her she looked up in surprise and saw him looking at her, his gaze tired yet affectionate. She put her phone on her thigh and took off her earphones, setting them on the bedside table along with her phone.

“Hey,” she smiled softly as she whispered.

“Hey,” he replied, returning the gentle smile.

“How are you feeling?”

“Thirsty.”

She let go of his hand, getting up to get him a glass of water. When she came back, she set it on the bedside table and helped him sit up before she picked up the glass and handed it to him. “Drink slowly.”

He nodded and drank in small sips, sighing at the very much welcome coolness and moisture in his throat. When he was done, he handed her the glass and she went to fill it up again and set it on the side table for later, if he needed it. She sat back down on the chair and took his hand in hers once more.

“I’m.. I’m sorry I shot you.” She said softly with a concerned look on her face. While still mad at him, well, maybe slightly less mad at him right now, a part of her was also genuinely worried about him and his wellbeing.

“I asked you to. There was no other way.”

“Yeah, but then you had to go and get stabbed.”

“Oh yeah, that..” he looked down at his bandaged chest and shoulder. “How’s Barnes?”

“He recovered pretty quickly, super serum and all.” She shrugged. “Right now he’s training with Steve. First time he left the room, actually.”

“Didn’t expect any less from him.” He smiled. “How long have I been out?”

“Ten days.”

“You’ve been here all the time.” It was not a question, but a statement. She nodded, and he held her hand tighter in his. It was their thing, always has been. So no words of gratitude were needed there.

He lay back down while still holding her hand and closed his eyes. He still felt fatigued and in pain, though the sedatives were doing their job in keeping it down to an annoyance level instead of actually painful. He was grateful to Banner for coming up with the concoction that actually worked on his and Thor’s physiology. Without it he would probably have been in agonising pain for weeks, simply due to the weapon that was used to wound him. Magical artefacts were vicious like that.

Amber looked at the time, it was almost ten. Bucky and Steve should be returning soon. She figured Bucky would be pleased to see that Loki had awakened. She got up, letting go of Loki’s hand, which made him open his eyes and follow her movements. She first grabbed her phone and earphones, then walked over to the couch she had been sleeping in for the past ten days. She put the phone on a side table and started fluffing her pillow.

“Amber,” Loki called, and she turned to look at him, pillow in hand. “Would you mind.. would you lay next to me?” There was hesitance in his voice, like he was testing waters.

She gave him a tight lipped smile. “I’ll keep to the sofa for the time being.”

“You’re still angry with me.” He sighed.

“I am.” She resumed fluffing the pillow and put it back on the sofa. Then moved on to the blanket and unrolled it.

“It was not my intention to make you angry.” He said, looking at her. “I had made untrue assumptions and it lead us here.”

She didn’t reply to that and simply continued preparing her bed for the night. To her, his assumptions weren’t untrue. It’s just his actions were completely wrong. Kissing her to shut her up and avoid giving answers? That never played well with her. He should have known better. His secrecy had led them here. They could have avoided getting Bucky captured, tortured and cursed had he been open about his plans. Intention or not, she still harboured some anger towards him. “I just need time to think things through.” She finally said and got on the sofa, grabbing her phone in the process to turn on her music again. “Bucky should be coming back soon, but I’m feeling beat. Good night, Loki.” She grabbed her earphones and put them in, placed her phone under her pillow and turned her back to him as she curled up under the blanket.

Loki sighed and stared at the ceiling above his bed. He had really screwed up this time. He should have been open with her from the beginning, but his stubbornness had gotten him here instead. Maybe in time she will forgive him. All he could do now is hope.

It was almost midnight when Bucky finally came back to the room. Upon entry he saw Amber sleeping on the sofa, so he carefully closed the door as to not wake her up, then tip toed towards his bed. Half way into the room he noticed a pair of eyes watching him, so he stopped. He looked at Loki, who was smirking at him from his seated position on his bed. That caused a big grin to appear on Bucky’s face and he went straight to his friend.

“Hey man, welcome back to the land of the living.” He whispered, reaching out with his hand.

“Good to see you too, Barnes.” Loki took the hand in a firm handshake and pulled Bucky closer for a hug.

Bucky was careful not to put too much pressure on Loki, given the extent of injury he had endured. “Man, I’m so sorry about the stabbing.” He said as he pulled away from the hug.

“I would have been cross with you if you had injured me any other way.” The God grinned. Stabbing was, after all, his thing. Thor could attest to that.

“Well good to know even when I don’t have control over my own head I’m at least good for something.” 

They both laughed at that, careful not to be too loud. Bucky sat down at the side of the bed, poking at Loki’s leg to be moved aside so he could have enough space to sit.

“So how are you feeling?” he asked.

“Exhausted, wide awake, and the shoulder is being a bit problematic. The pain is irritating.”

“Ugh, I hate those. Like pick a side, either be properly excruciating or not be there at all!”

“Exactly!”

“So how long have you been up?” Bucky asked.

“I’m guessing a couple of hours. Haven’t paid attention much to the time.”

“I see.” He turned his head to look at Amber’s curled up form. “Was she up then?” he turned back to Loki, who nodded.

“Yes, she told me you were exercising with Rogers. How are you?”

“Better by now. Wound is healed up. Muscles are sore, but that’s why I went to get some workout done with Steve.” He paused for a moment, then continued. “Can you tell me what happened after you left the room I was being held in?”

Loki told him about the happenings of the day, how he had gone back and worked alongside Stark and the sorcerer to plan on getting him out and breaking the curse, then the meeting with the Avengers where Amber demanded him to heal her and then so skilfully took over. He skipped over the part where he had kissed Amber as a way to stop her further questioning. That was for another time where she wasn’t in the room and probably listening while pretending to be asleep, even though he knew she was not awake at that moment. Though he couldn’t fully predict Bucky’s reaction if he told him that, but he figured it would be aggressive, given that Bucky was very protective of her, just as Loki himself was. Bucky listened to what Loki was telling him in silence. Not remembering anything of the fight they had while the Winter Soldier was in charge of his psych. Though he noticed Loki had skipped the part about kissing Amber. He decided not to bring it up just yet. It was late and they were both tired. He’d still get the chance to talk to him about it at a later time. He needed to hear both sides of the story before he could go all protective brother on him.

They had both gone to sleep around three in the morning. Loki had missed out on ten days worth of happenings at the compound. He was not surprised to hear that Thor hadn’t left his bedside until just a couple of days ago when the Valkyrie had called upon him because of dealings in New Asgard that required his immediate attention.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Another three days and Loki was allowed to leave the med bay. He had been sent to his room with strict instructions to take things easy and not exhaust himself. Doctor Strange had visited him on the day of his discharge and examined the wounds on his shoulder. The shot wound had completely healed days ago, but the stab wound still looked fresh. Loki was to keep his left arm in a slinger to prevent him from accidentally jarring his shoulder and cause the wound to reopen and bleed.

Both Bucky and Amber had been discharged long before, but they had been staying at the med bay with Loki the whole time anyway. Now that Loki was discharged as well, Bucky was finally back to his room, happy to sleep in his bed once again. Despite everyone’s requests and pleads, Amber decided to go back to her apartment. She had a lot of renovations to take care of and even Tony’s offer to take care of it didn’t persuade her to stay.

“I promise I’ll be back more often than before,” she explained to Bucky on her way out of the compound. “Besides, you’re expected to come and help with the renovations anyway.”

“You know I’ll be helping whether expected of me or not. I’ll bring Steve as well.”

“That would be great.” She grinned. “Okay, I’ll call you when I get home.”

“You sure you don’t want me to come with?”

“I’ll be fine, old man. Go pester your bestie or something.” She gave him a hug and got into the car with Happy.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Amber got to the door of her apartment. She hesitated for a moment, standing in the hallway staring at the keyhole with the keys in her hand. With a frown, she placed her ear against the door to listen to any sounds from the inside. Only when she heard nothing did she unlock the door and walked in. After closing it behind her, she stepped in slowly, almost on tip toes as to not alert any intruders -if there were any- of her arrival. She let out a sigh of relief when she realized she was the only one there and could finally start the cleaning up process. Only.. there was not much to do. The place looked clean and renovated, as if the attack a couple of weeks ago didn’t even happen. She went into the living room, all furniture were intact. Even her new TV was replaced with a newer one. She then went to the bedroom, and gasped as her bed was there, neatly made up like from a hotel magazine.

“What the fuck?” she whispered to herself and jumped on her spot as a voice greeted her.

“Welcome home, Miss Bishop.”

“Who’s there?” Amber turned around, fists up ready for combat. She should really start carrying guns again, damn it!

“My name is HELEN. I am your personal AI system within the apartment. Mr. Stark installed me after the renovations were done last week.”

Amber dropped her arms to her side and straightened up. “Tony took care of the renovations?” she raised an eyebrow.

“Indeed.” The AI had a distinctive voice. Deep for a female, but not deep enough to be considered male. But it sounded soft, determined and feminine nonetheless. Amber decided HELEN is a she.

“Why were you installed?” She asked while going back to the corridor to take off her shoes. She put on some slippers and went to the kitchen to make herself some coffee.

“Mr. Stark thought given the intrusion and attack on yourself, and the fact that you do not wish to stay at the compound, there needed to be security measures to alert you and the Avengers in case of a reoccurrence.”

“How thoughtful of him.” She mumbled as she turned on the coffee bean grinder. She then prepared herself a cup of cappuccino and went to the living room.

“I have also been installed at your establishment. He figured if someone was to get you, they would attack the cafe as well.”

“Paranoid much, Stark?” she shook her head. “Say, HELEN, can you make calls like FRIDAY does?”

“I can do all the domestic and security chores FRIDAY does. Though FRIDAY is more advanced than I am and has access to more security protocols. I am still learning and my only access is the electronics in your residence, workplace and your vehicles.”

“That’s more than good enough for me.” She smiled. “Could you call Tony, please?”

“Yes, Miss.”

“Hey kiddo,” came Tony’s voice through the speakers.

“What the hell, Stark?” Amber said with a huge grin on her face, and her voice reflected it. “I didn’t know it was my birthday.”

“Do you like it?” the grin on his face was also evident in his voice.

“I was surprised to come back to a clean home. Thank you, Tony. Also, HELEN? Really?”

“All yours, kid. I had her made for Pepper long ago, but Pepper has FRIDAY. I think HELEN has found the house that best matches her personality. Or rather, the one she would be developing the more she interacts with you.”

“Oh dear.” Amber giggled. “I feel sorry for her already.”

“Don’t be tough on yourself, kid. Now go play with your new playmate. Got some work to do here.”

“When don’t you have some work to do?” she snorted. “Anyway, thanks for all this Tony.”

“You’re welcome.”

The call ended and Amber took another sip of her cappuccino. She wondered if she had anything in the fridge to make dinner. So she got up and checked it out. It was fully stocked. Tony didn’t leave anything for guessing, as usual. She grinned and put her mug into the sink and went to fetch her tablet to look for recipes.

She decided on spaghetti carbonara and some salad on the side. She started gathering up the ingredients and putting them on the kitchen counter. It felt really good to be able to do this without having her hands and arms shaking like an earthquake. Before she started cooking, she fetched her phone from her pocket and called Michelle.

“Hey kiddo!” she greeted the teenager.

“Hey, hang on,” Michelle answered and Amber could hear her talking to a customer before getting back to the call. “Amber! Hi, sorry! Was just finishing up here. How’s it going?”

“I was wondering if you and the guys would like to come over for dinner? I’m making carbonara.”

“I’m game. Let me ask them.” She was off the phone again for a second and came back. “They are practically drooling as we speak.”

Amber grinned. “Awesome. Grab any sort of drinks you guys think you’d want with dinner. I only have limited selection at home, soda and juice.”

“That’s good enough for me. I’ll see what they want. When would you want us there?”

“Once you close there, you can come over. We can watch a movie, unless you have something else to do in between.”

“Nah, we’ll come straight after.” Michelle paused for a moment. “Say, isn’t your place in ruins or something? How are you cooking in the mess?”

“Turns out Tony took care of it.” Amber grinned. “Was a pleasant surprise, that’s why I didn’t feel like eating alone.”

“Wow, that’s dope. Okay, we’ll close up and be there in an hour or so.”

“Cool, see ya!”

She hung up and turned her attention to the ingredients and started preparing dinner. She wondered if she should call Bucky as well. She checked the amount of ingredients she had, there was more than enough. But on a second thought, she decided to keep this evening for her little team of employees. She’d spent the past couple of weeks with Bucky anyway. He probably needs some break from her as well.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Dinner with the teenagers was quite pleasant. Exciting even as soon as they had met HELEN. Amber missed having them around, especially Michelle. They had watched a movie together, a new one that had just been released to streaming services. The boys practically inhaled the food and by the end thought they would explode.

When it was time for them to go, Amber offered to drive them home. They happily accepted the offer and they even made a stop at a diner for a round of ice creams.

After she had dropped them all off at their homes, she drove back home and parked her car in the underground garage. She then went up to her floor and as she was about to unlock her apartment door, she froze again. Her hand was shaking a bit as she held the key against the door. She thought it to be impossible in the gloves Tony had made her, but there she was, standing in front of her door, heart racing rapidly and hands shaking like she didn’t have the gloves on at all.

She dropped her hand to her side and started pacing along the corridor. This was ridiculous. There was no one in her apartment. And she had spent all afternoon and evening there. Why the panic all of a sudden? She came to stand in front of the door once more and couldn’t do it. She paced some more and contemplated calling Bucky. Hell, she’d even call Loki for that matter. She fished out her phone from her pocket and was about to dial Bucky’s number when she remembered she had HELEN now at her home. While she hadn’t figured out how to have HELEN connect to her phone, she stood close to the door and leaned her forehead against it.

“HELEN, if you can hear me.. is there anyone inside?” she said in a low voice. She didn’t want the neighbours to hear.

“The apartment is secured.” Came HELEN’s voice from her phone.

Amber grinned at the device as she let out a relieved sigh. She finally unlocked the door and walked in, locking it after her.

“I didn’t think you’d already be installed on the phone.” She said as she took off her shoes.

“Mr. Stark made sure I was available for you whenever and wherever needed. I am installed on all of your electronic devices.”

“Pretty considerate of him. And HELEN?”

“Yes, Miss Bishop?”

“Thank you for being there just now.”

“Always, Miss Bishop.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> HELEN is canon. I found out that in the comics Tony had created her as after JARVIS had gone rogue. I altered it for the purpose of the story and made it so he created her for Pepper (in the comics, HELEN's original name was PEPPER and she was molded and named after Pepper Potts, to remind Tony of Earth during his trip in space.)


	13. Chapter 13

The night proved to be difficult for Amber. Despite knowing that she now had added security at her home, she still felt too anxious to sleep. Her mind kept playing “what if” scenarios and prevented her from falling asleep. Around four in the morning she gave up on sleep and went to the living room, dropped on the couch and turned the TV on. She couldn’t concentrate on whatever mindless program it was on right now. She felt too restless and at the same time extremely exhausted. But she couldn’t sleep! If she hadn’t been on medication she would get herself drunk enough to fall asleep. Unfortunately that was not possible right now. So she decided to do the next best thing. Exhaust herself to sleep. She got up and changed into sports leggings and a tank top, tucked her phone into the pocket and put her wireless earphones in. She took the door key off the keyring, so she’d be able to put it in her pocket, and went out jogging.

She came back around 7AM completely exhausted and soaking in sweat. But that didn’t stop her from dropping onto her bed as is. “HELEN, if anyone calls, I’m sleeping. Wake me up only for emergencies.” She instructed before she finally fell asleep.

She woke up in the early afternoon to the sound of birds chirping and water running. No, it was a waterfall. She groaned in frustration as her bladder started working against her. She wanted to sleep, damn it! There’s no time for bathroom just now! The sound of water just didn’t stop and Amber finally caved in and opened her eyes, dragging herself off the bed and going to the bathroom. Once she was in there the sounds stopped and she just sat there on the toilet, eye still closed and feeling extremely tired. No one would know if she fell asleep there. No shame in falling asleep on your own toilet, right?

“Miss Bishop, you need to wake up.” HELEN said softly.

Amber struggled to open her eyes and huffed in frustration as she cleaned herself and got up. She flushed the toilet and went to wash her hands. Only then she realized she had the gloves on. “Ugh, not again.” She groaned and took the gloves off, throwing them into the laundry basket and turned to wash her hands. Her scars were back into full view and she grimaced at them. Despite them being a part of her for so long, they held resentment and disability. At these kind of moments she envied the people who managed to fully accept their own disabilities and could live a fulfilling life despite them. 

As she dried her hands, she looked down at herself and noticed she was still in her jogging clothes. Great. She slept soaking in sweat. Groaning once more, she took off the clothes and threw them into the laundry basket and hopped into the bath tub to take a shower.

After shower she got dressed, wrapped her hair in a towel and started laundry. She then dried her hair and went around the room looking for the veils to cover her scars and couldn’t find them. “Shit, they’re at the compound. Fucking shit. Ugh!” she cursed her way through her closet and grabbed a long sleeved shirt. She would have to go back now and grab them. Maybe also ask Tony to make her a couple of extra sets of gloves or veils. Maybe even gloves that detach at the wrist so she wouldn’t have to put the whole thing into the washing machine after every time she went to the bathroom and forgot to take them off.

She shakily grabbed a maroon button up shirt and decided to change her pants as well to match. She went through the shelves and found her black skinny jeans and put those on, tucking the shirt into the pants, leaving the shirt unbuttoned to the middle of her chest, showing the bare minimum of cleavage. Sexy, she thought. Then she put a black leather belt with a gold buckle on. She looked at herself in the mirror and raised an eyebrow. “You look good, Agent.” She told herself. “I should totally get a haircut soon.” She ran her hand through her shoulder length hair. Maybe just the tips, or maybe chop the whole thing off as if she was having a life crisis of some sort. Shrugging to no one but herself, she moved on to put on some facial cream and makeup, then put on high heeled boots and took a last look in the mirror. It will work with a leather jacket, she thought to herself and pulled said jacket out of the closet and put it on. 

“HELEN, I’ll be going to the compound to get my photostatic veils and after that I’ll be heading to the cafe for a bit.”

“I’ll be with you along the way, Miss.” The AI replied.

“I know, but somehow I felt like letting you know.” She shrugged. 

“I appreciate the information.”

Amber smirked and grabbed her sunglasses, keys and backpack. A final look into the mirror and she groaned once more. Her hands were still visible. Well, she’ll have to put on some gloves on until she gets the veils back on, then.

-*-*-*-*-*-

As she pulled up in front of the compound, she absentmindedly took off one of the gloves and when she was about to take off the other, her eyes fell on the scars and she quickly put the first glove back on. Feeling still irritated by the whole thing, she simply marched in and headed to the elevators. “FRIDAY, is Tony in the lab?”

“Hello, Miss Bishop, that he is. He’s been notified of your arrival.”

“Thanks.” She stepped into the elevator and pressed the button to take her to the floor where the lab was.

Stepping out, she saw Tony sitting in front of his desk with several holo screens spread in front of him. “Always working, never having fun.” She commented as she walked over to him.

“We still need to find the bastard.” He said, turning to look at her. Seeing her attire he raised an eyebrow and wolf-whistled. “Looking good, kid!”

“Thanks,” she smirked. She knew she looked good, but it was nice to hear it from someone else.

“So, what brings you back so soon? Were the renovations not to your liking?” He swiped the screens off and got up from his seat to give her a hug.

“I love what you did to the place, Tony. Thank you once again.” She smiled, returning his hug.

“Anytime, kid. So if it’s not that, what is it? You look like you’re ready to shoot a panda.”

“Don’t put ideas in my head. They’re endangered species as is.” She snorted. “I’m here because I need my photostatic veils.” She raised her thickly gloved and shaking arms.

“What happened to the new gloves?”

“Laundry day.”

“Ah.” He pulled a drawer open and got her old veils out. FRIDAY, secure the lab for a moment.

“Thanks,” she mumbled, taking the gloves off and turning her back to Tony as she unbuttoned her shirt. Out of courtesy, Tony turned his back to her as well and busied himself with some papers on his desk.

Once she put the veils on, she put her shirt back on and buttoned it up. She tucked the hem into her pants and then looked at her trembling hands, free of visible scaring. “Much better.” She sighed in relief.

Tony turned around to face her. “Sorry I didn’t think of returning them to you before.”

“It’s okay. I’m just more irritated by a sleepless night and then HELEN waking me up with waterfall sounds. Can you imagine it?”

Tony laughed. “She’s considerate like that. Well, technically that’s an old setting I left in for when I was designing her for Pepper. A calm yet fool proof way to wake someone up. Though why couldn’t you sleep?”

She shrugged, grabbing a chair and sitting down. “I don’t know. A lot of ‘what if’ scenarios. Ended up going out for a jog at 4, came back 3 hours later and finally slept. Then she didn’t let me sleep long enough.”

“And risk having yet another sleepless night? I cannot allow you to break my record.” He grinned, grabbing a chair and pulling is close to her. “Listen, if you ever end up an insomniac like me, you’re always welcome to join me here. I have lots of toys, you know.” He spread his arms motioning to their surroundings.

“Thanks, I might actually take you up on that.” She chuckled. “Say, can I ask you a favour?”

“Anything.”

“I think I need a couple more pairs of gloves and veils. Just to have some spares. And at least a pair of gloves where I can detach it around the wrists.”

“That’s actually a brilliant idea.” Tony scratched his chin in thought on how to do it without losing the tremor supressing capabilities by cutting them off the main nanite source. “I’ll get started on those as soon as possible. And the rest would be ready in a few days.”

“You’re the best.” She grinned.

“I know.”

“Always humble.” She laughed as she got up, grabbing her bike gloves. “I’m heading to the cafe. Kinda miss the place.”

“I know the feeling. Have fun!”

“Thanks! Come for a drink soon.”

“Will do.”

As she headed to the elevator, Tony turned pulled the screens back up and jumped right back into work. Amber shook her head and smirked as she saw him instantly immersed into work like hadn’t just been interrupted.

On the way to the exit, she decided to make a small detour and check up on Bucky to say hi. After asking FRIDAY where he was, she went straight to the gym where he was currently sparring with Steve.

She walked in as Steve was blocking his face from Bucky’s punches. Bucky seemed pretty happy to be active, punching and kicking his way against Steve, who remarkably held his ground, without his shield even. She walked over to the nearest bench on the side of the training mat and took a seat, crossing her legs and resting her trembling hands on her lap.

The fight lasted a few more minutes before Steve held his hands up to signal a break. He bent forward, hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.

“You’re getting old, Stevie.” Bucky chuckled, patting Steve’s shoulder.

“Yeah, yeah.” Steve said between breaths. “You’re still a year older.”

“Makes me wiser.” Bucky grinned and then his eyes fell on Amber. “Well, look who couldn’t stay away for long this time.” He walked over to her.

“In your dreams.” She grinned. “Had to see Tony and thought I’d drop by to say hi.”

He leaned down and kissed her cheek. She playfully pushed him away. “Keep your sweaty face off of me!” she giggled.

He grabbed a towel and dropped next to her, catching his breath. “Next time you’ll get a full hug.”

“Not when you’re soaking in sweat.” She scrunched her nose. No matter how much she adored Bucky, there was no way in hell she would let him hug her being sweaty like that.

“So who are you dressed up like that for?” he wiggled his eyebrows at her and picked up a bottle of water.

“Myself, of course.” She rolled her eyes. 

“Right.” He gave her a look.

“Oh come on, you of all people know I like to dress up jus because I feel like it. And I’m not going to defend my fashion choices now, old man.” She slapped his arm playfully.

“Okay, okay.” He smiled and took a sip of water. He threw a second bottle at Steve, who caught it and started drinking as he approached them.

“How was last night?” Steve asked, taking a seat on the floor in front of them.

Amber shrugged. “Insomnia paid a visit. Had to go for a run at dawn until I was exhausted enough to drop dead.”

Steve gave Bucky a concerned look before he continued. “You can always stay here until you’re comfortable enough.” He left the ‘until we get Doom’ out of it.

“Nah, I’m good. HELEN didn’t let me sleep long, so I guess I’ll be able to fall asleep tonight.” She nodded, attempting to convince herself more than anything.

“Helen? What, you changed teams and forgot to tell us?” Bucky teased. It was too good to let go.

Amber laughed heartily at that. “Oh God I needed that.” She slapped her knee as she giggled. “That was a good one, Bucky.”

“I don’t get it. What teams?” Steve said, a confused smile on his face.

“I’ll explain to you later, Ancient Rome.” Bucky said with a grin.

“Being around Tony for too long is showing on you. You’re doing nicknames now!” Amber shook her head. “For shame, for shame.”

Bucky shrugged at that. “Eh, when in Rome and stuff.” 

“So what did you want to see Tony for?” Steve asked, taking another sip of water.

“Had to get my photostatic veils back, gloves are in laundry. And asked him to make me some spares.”

“Good idea. Though you could stay without cover while the gloves are in laundry, you know.” Bucky said, knowing exactly how she was going to respond to that.

“I could, but don’t want to.”

At that moment Loki walked in, dressed in sweatpants and a t-shirt, his left arm in a slinger against his chest. He froze for a moment when he saw Amber. She looked stunning in the maroon shirt and black skin tight pants. He felt his throat go dry for a moment before he composed himself and cleared his throat in an attempt to announce his arrival.

The three turned to look at him, Bucky grinning as he discretely watched between Amber and Loki as the God approach them. Amber stayed the way she was, a little smile gracing her lips. “I thought you were supposed to take things easy.” She said.

“I thought you were eager to go back to your apartment, yet here you are.” He replied, taking a seat on Bucky’s side. He would have preferred to sit on her side, but he didn’t want to press his luck. When she glared at him, he rolled his eyes. “I’m not confined to my room, if that’s what you’re asking.”

“Got bored of staying in bed?” Bucky asked.

“You have no idea.”

“Can’t you heal yourself?” Steve asked, he looked genuinely curious, which was the only reason Loki didn’t snap at him.

“Unfortunately, not in this case. The magic that the dagger holds is too great for anyone to just heal themselves from it. I’d require the help of the dark elves, but the last of them have been destroyed a few years back by yours truly.” He smirked with pride at how he had defeated them at the time.

“So now what? You just wait it out?”

“Precisely, Captain.”

“Well then, while you guys wait things out, I have a business to run.” Amber got up. “Don’t beat each other up too much.” She grabbed her stuff and walked towards the exit.

Loki noticed the lack of dark gloves over her trembling hands and watched until she was gone. It renewed his resolve in finding Doom and making him pay for it. Other than that, he was mesmerized by her backside as she walked away. Those pants did wonders to her figure. He was not the only one staring.

Bucky looked at both of the men beside him, then to the direction they were staring at. He pursed his lips and shook his head like the overprotective brother-figure that he was, snapping his fingers in front of their faces. “Hey, hey! Cut it out! Shame on you!” he scolded.

“What?” Steve protested, trying to look innocent.

“You can’t blame us for..” Loki started but Bucky held up a finger to stop him.

“Don’t you dare continue that sentence or I’ll unleash the Winter Soldier on you.” He warned.

“Right.” Loki smirked. On the one hand he was amused by the notion, and on the other he was tempted to test the waters on how far Bucky would go in protecting Amber’s honour. He knew though for a fact that Bucky would do anything to protect her, and he admired him for it. Though he was bored and in desperate need of chaos and entertainment, he decided that he will not do it at Amber’s expense. That would have been too low of him.

Steve got up and tossed his empty water bottle into a bin, “I’ll hit the shower now. Buck, same time tomorrow?”

“I’ll pass. Got some stuff to take care of.” Bucky replied getting up as well. 

“Right. See you later, then.” Steve said and went to take a shower.

“Stuff?” Loki asked, sanding up as well.

“The search for Doom won’t get done by itself.” Bucky’s face turned dark then. “I’ve wasted too much time recovering from his shenanigans. Time to get back into work.”

Loki mirrored the dark look. “I may not be physically in top shape, but my magic still works to some extent.” Even if it would instantly drain him, he would not spare a single spark of magic for the sake of their mission.

“I’ll see you after I take a shower then. I’d like to run an idea by you.”

“Alright, I’ll be in my room.”

With that, they left the gym and Bucky headed to his room to take a shower and Loki went to his own to kill time until Bucky joined him. He figured if Bucky wanted to discuss something, it was best to do it in the privacy of his own room, where no unwanted ears or eyes would be present.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Amber parked in her spot at the lot near the cafe and gingerly waltzed into her establishment. The place smelled of fresh coffee with a hint of caramel. She basked in the smell as she grinned at the three teenagers who happily greeted her.

“Miss Bishop! We would have prepared a welcome back banner if we’d known you’re coming back today!” Ned said, bouncing on the balls of his feet in excitement to see her.

“I’m glad I didn’t, then.” She grinned. “Wouldn’t want to put my favorite employees into too much pressure.”

“We’re your only employees.” Michelle noted and came out from behind the counter to give her a hug. “Welcome back, boss.”

“Thanks, Michelle. You did really well with the place!” She looked around. There were slight decorative changes and massive menu changes, as Amber noticed on the big menu hanging on top of the bar. “I like!”

“Glad you do.” Michelle replied and went back behind the counter.

“Hey, Miss Amber,” Peter came over and hugged her as well. “Welcome back.”

“Thanks, Peter.”

“Can we call you boss as well?” Ned suddenly asked. When Peter looked at him with a raised eyebrow he continued. “It’s shorter than having to say Miss Bishop every time.” He shrugged.

“He’s got a point.” Peter turned to Amber with a thumb pointing at Ned.

Amber laughed at that. “Oh I have a feeling we’ll be having a lot of fun here.” She grinned at them. “You can call me boss if you want.” Then she looked at Peter, “extra points if you do it in front of Tony as well.”

Peter grinned at the idea. “You’ve got yourself a deal, boss.”

“Awesome.” Amber felt like she grew a pair of devil horns at the idea of tormenting Tony. While he wasn’t the only ‘boss’ in the world, he was the only one among his small group of friends. Despite Amber being a business owner, she would never dream to amount to what Tony had achieved. Nor did she aspire to get there, for she was pretty content with the small business that she had. She loved it, it paid the bills and it kept her busy. Tony was happy for her, of course, but having his favorite teenager call someone else ‘boss’? That would definitely rub his ego the wrong way. She loved it!

Customers came and left, Amber was quickly back to her usual routine of managing the cafe and working behind the counter mixing cocktails. She noticed that Michelle had kept the tradition of playing quality music, aka heavy metal. Though she recognized the band playing today to be Sepultura, the song selection was new to her.

“Did they have a new album I didn’t know of?” She asked Michelle as she steamed up some milk for a latte macchiato. 

“Yeah, in February. It’s pretty dope.” Michelle replied, bobbing her head to the music.

“Had no idea. Nice!”

“I wish we could listen to some rap music.” Ned said, putting a tray with empty cups on the counter.

“Never!” both Michelle and Amber said simultaneously. They looked at each other and grinned as Amber winked at Michelle.

“It’s good music!” Ned protested.

“Some are, I admit.” Amber said. “You can play it when I’m not around.” She smiled at him.

Ned grinned ear to ear and went on to serve new customers that walked in.

“I feel like he’s now wishing I would disappear for a while so he could play some rap.” She watched him work, smiling fondly.

“Nah, Ned gets excited at the smallest things.” Peter showed up at the counter. “Two cappuccinos, one them with hazelnut syrup and one coke zero, please.”

Michelle started preparing the order while Peter leaned against the bar counter, watching Ned happily chatting away with an older couple.

“So how do you like the work, Peter?” Amber asked.

“Oh I love it! Thank you so much for hiring Ned and me, Miss.. I mean boss.” He gave her a toothy grin.

“I’m glad I did. Okay, I’ll go do some paperwork. Be back soon.” She smiled and went to the back of the cafe.

She sat down at her desk and frantically shook her arms. The tremors were getting worse again, which was a sign that she was overworking herself. If only she had the gloves with her, she probably could have worked for hours nonstop without having to take these breaks.

She checked the time and sighed. They will need to close soon anyway. So instead of getting any paperwork done as she had planned, she decided to just rest a bit so she could drive back home without worrying about trembling hands steering her off road or something. She could always call Bucky or Happy to take her home, but she didn’t feel it to be right to do so.

By the time they closed the cafe, Amber was feeling better and was able to safely drive back home. On the way she stopped at a supermarket, grabbed herself some drinks and snacks and continued her way for a lazy evening on the couch.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Bucky poked his head through the door to Loki’s room. The God was perched up on the loveseat he had in a corner, a book in hand. “Hey, feel like going for a walk?”

Loki turned to look at him, sitting up and putting the book aside. “Give me a few minutes to change.”

“I’ll be by the entrance.” Bucky said and closed the door.

Loki wondered what it was Bucky had wanted to talk to him that warranted a walk. His room was warded against Stark’s interference, except for emergencies. So if they had a conversation there it would have been completely private. He waved a hand and his clothes changed into a button up shirt with a pair of jeans, and his boots. He looked at himself in the mirror and as he decided he looked decent enough to leave the premises, he went to meet Bucky at the entrance to the compound, ignoring the slight fatigue he felt due to use of magic.

“Lead the way.” Loki said as he walked up to Bucky. The two of them walked along the road for a while with no specific destination in mind.

As they reached a safe distance away from the compound, Bucky came to a halt and turned to face Loki.

“Barnes, you haven’t said a word since we left the compound. What’s on your mind.” Loki asked, frowning in concern.

“I think Tony’s search is taking too long.” Bucky said, “And while I know I shouldn’t be rushing things, I can’t sit still either.”

“I do share your sentiment there.” Loki said, putting his hand in his pocket. “Though I don’t understand why we needed to come here instead of conversing in my room. It is warded, as you know.”

“Can’t be too sure. What if someone we cannot see or hear is observing?” he gave Loki a pointed look.

“Stark’s AI tried penetrating it, failed.” He paused for a moment as he realized something. Of course! “You think Doom might be eavesdropping.”

“Tony’s technology is the top of the line. There is no breathing creature or even a machine that he can’t find with all the satellite connections he has. Even if magically warded. And yet, it’s taking him this long and there’s still no sign of Doom.”

Loki brought his hand to his chin as he gave it a thought. “You do have a point there. So what are you suggesting?”

“We take the search off the technology and do it the old fashioned way.”

“And that is..?”

“Spy work, plus your magic. But we can’t do it all alone. We’ll need help. The whole team, actually.”

“You do not hesitate on putting the whole team at risk for the purpose of our own vendetta?” Loki smirked.

“It’s not only our own. Doom is a menace and needs to be stopped. Though there’s something else. We’ll need to include Amber.”

“No.” Loki started pacing back and forth. “No, no!”

“Loki, will you listen for a moment?” Bucky was feeling impatient and that made him irritated. He didn’t need a God irritating him even further. “She’s a great strategist and can help us with this. Besides, you need to talk to her, dude.”

“Absolutely not!” Loki hissed at him. “I can’t, Barnes. Not yet. Not before I got my revenge!”

“It’s not your revenge alone, you know.” Bucky said, suddenly calm. “She’s my friend too.”

Loki’s shoulders dropped. He wanted to tell her everything. He wanted to patch things up with her once and for all. But he feared he would dig himself into an even deeper hole if he revealed everything, especially after what happened between them two weeks ago.

“Barnes, there’s something I need to tell you.” He looked at Bucky, deciding to just come out with it. If he were to be telling Amber everything, he needed to be honest with Bucky as well.

“What is it?”

“The day we came to get you.. I kind of royally fucked things up with Amber.”

Bucky already knew what Loki was about to tell him, but he still kept silent about it. “What did you do?”

So Loki told him everything that transpired that day, the parts that he hadn’t mentioned before when he told him how Amber took over the search mission to get Bucky back from the warehouse. As Loki spoke, Bucky felt anger rising within him again. Not that he doubted Amber when she told him, but having it be confirmed word for word was just infuriating. How dare he? How dare he do that to her? After all the time they spent apart, both pained by the separation and then finally so close to making up, and he goes and ruins it?

Loki fell silent after he finished talking. Bucky was staring at him with anger evident in his eyes. Loki dropped his gaze to the ground as he waited for the punch to come. He would deserve it anyway. To his surprise, the punch never came.

“You’re an asshole.” Bucky finally said with a frown. “A royal asshole at that.”

“So I’ve been told, several times.”

“For your information, Amber already told me. I was simply waiting to see how long it’d take you to speak up.” Loki’s shoulders dropped as he looked at Bucky. He should have known Amber would have told him already. The two had no secrets from each other and it made him envious. “What in the flying fuck possessed you to do that? Do you have any idea how humiliating it was for her? Kissing her just to shut her up? Damn it, Loki!” he threw his arms in the air, exasperated. “You really went and fucked it up this time, dude.”

“I know, Barnes, I know!” Loki’s voice got louder. “I didn’t think at the time and thought she had feelings for me as well!” he paused for a moment, and continued in a lower, defeated tone, “I was obviously wrong.” He ran his hand through his hair and over his neck as he started pacing again. “So obviously wrong. And.. and now I have no chance with her whatsoever. Can you imagine her reaction if I just tell her everything?” he stopped to face Bucky.

“She will forgive you, Loki.” Bucky said. Despite his momentary anger, he managed a smirk. “Explain and apologize to her. You’d be surprised.”

But Loki didn’t do apologizing. Never. If he was going to apologize to her, then he had to have something to show for it. Preferably Doom’s head on a silver platter, but he doubted she would appreciate that. Midgard was weird that way.

“I cannot apologize without having taken my revenge, Barnes.” Loki admitted, his voice barely a whisper that Bucky almost didn’t catch.

“Why not involve her into taking revenge as well? Don’t you think this is as much as her revenge as it is ours?” he put a hand over Loki’s good shoulder. “Talk to her.”

“What if it backfires again?”

“Then it wasn’t meant to be?” Bucky shrugged. “I don’t know man. As long as you don’t kiss her again to shut her up, I think an apology would help in setting the first step into patching things up. Though I feel like I have to warn you.. I don’t know why, but it feels like it. If you dare to kiss her again against her will, you’ll be answering to me, as the Winter Soldier.” He grinned.

“I’ll take that into consideration.” Loki smiled, though not completely relieved.

“Good. Now we need to put our heads together and get some planning done on how to break the plan to the others without using technology that could get compromised.”

“I do have an idea that might help.”


	14. Chapter 14

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> WARNING: mentions of blood.

Loki’s idea was simple, really. Keep silent about it and leave notes for everyone to gather at a neutral, outdoor spot where they wouldn’t be seen or overheard by enchanted technology. Though his idea came back crashing when he realized that satellite tracking restricted their choice on open locations, and warding them with a spell might not work when the person they were plotting against happened to be magical. So, in the end he decided to call for Strange’s help in conducting the meeting in a mirror dimension.

Strange had been apprehensive at first, but after a lengthy explanation from Bucky and a few threats and glares from Loki, which fell upon deaf ears, the Sorcerer Supreme decided to allow it. The mirror dimension was not meant for such meetings, but given the circumstances, he could make an exception.

Loki’s next step in preparation for the meeting was to talk to Amber. It had been a couple of days since he last saw her at the compound, when she was at the gym with Barnes and Rogers. He paced nervously in his room while trying to decide whether he should send her a message to meet up at all. What if she said no? The plan might go south. But what if she said yes and the plan still went south? And in addition to that, she would hate him forever. A part of him didn’t want to risk it and wanted him to keep to his original idea of only telling her once he had gotten rid of Doom. He wouldn’t rest until it was done. In fact, he simply _couldn’t_ rest until it was done. It was eating him on the inside, desperately clawing at his nerves, his very essence. 

That morning he had contacted Thor, and his brother tried to make him see reason. That telling her the truth would only serve in his favour. Thor made the argument by reminding him that Amber usually doesn’t care about people having secrets from her, unless said secrets would jeopardize the wellbeing of those she cared for the most. She cared for him, Thor had pointed out, otherwise she wouldn’t have been so upset. He asked Loki to hold on to that.

Loki ran the thought several times through his chaotic mind. Did she really care for him? If she did, then why was she upset when he kissed her? Oh, right.. because it was for the wrong reasons. Idiot, idiot, idiot!

He threw an energy blast at the nearest object in frustration. The side table next to the loveseat exploded into pieces. He groaned loudly as he pulled at his hair while pacing around the room. Nothing seemed to go the way he wanted them to!

If he hadn’t warded his room he would probably have heard Stark’s voice through the speakers reprimanding him for using violence within the compound the moment it happened. He would snort at that and tell him off. Even dare him to a round of true violence. But, the room was warded, so neither the engineer nor his machine could find out about his outburst. It didn’t count as an emergency.. yet.

He wished his mother was still around to advise him on how to proceed. But she wasn’t with them anymore, he had to rely on his brother and on himself. Well, he had already heard Thor’s advice, and while he wasn’t sure if it was a good one, it was the only one that made sense so far.

Amber cared too much. That’s supposed to be a good thing, right? Maybe in a different universe. In his universe her care had backfired at him. Because he was keeping secrets. Because he kissed her instead of answering her questions. If it were anyone else, he would have instantly weaved a lie and sent them on a goose chase. But he couldn’t do that with her. A secret cannot be considered a lie if you didn’t know what it was, right? Right. But she still needed to know the whole story. He owed her that. And they needed her on the team, as much as he despised the idea of putting her in harm’s way again, even if she was more than capable to hold her own. But this time they would be prepared. He wouldn’t derive from the main plan no matter what kind of temptation or curious urge would arise. He would play by the book, up until the moment he was faced with Doom. Then he would throw the book into the pits of Hel and would work according to his own plan.

Yes, that sounded good. Right now, after what Bucky had told him, his mind was the safest place for him to plan and plot. Once in the mirror dimension, he could share some of the thoughts with the team. Good. Step one ready. Though it brought him back to the base of it all. He still needed to talk to Amber. He really didn’t want to make their relationship any worse than it already was. But he figured he had to do something. Her skills were very much needed, but he wouldn’t want her to go into the battle fully blind. She needed to know. He would rather fight along her side once more, even if it was going to be the last time.

With a gloomy mood he dropped on his bed face forward, cursing loudly at the pain that caused his still injured shoulder. He hugged a pillow and screamed into it in anger, pain and frustration.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Loki opened his eyes an noticed it had gotten dark outside. Apparently he had fallen asleep at some point. He groaned at the pointless waste of a day and tried to get up, only to be met with a sharp pain from his shoulder. Sitting up, he placed his good hand over the wounded area and felt moisture. He looked down and saw a dark spot on his shirt. He pulled the fabric away around the neckline and looked inside. The bandage was soaking in blood. His eyes caught a large dark spot on his bedsheets as well. That was not good. Not good at all. Cursing under his breath, he tried a healing spell, and it did nothing but agitate the wound. Teleporting to the med bay was not an option. It was never good to teleport while bleeding out like that. He figured he should call for help instead, Barnes being the obvious choice, but he couldn’t find his phone and couldn’t remember where he put the retched thing. He hoped FRIDAY would be seeing this, since this was technically an emergency. He needed to get to the med bay and fast, before he had lost any more blood. “FRIDAY, help.” He breathed, hoping that the AI would hear his plea.

He got up quickly and dizziness hit him like a hurricane. The room went spinning and he sat back down on the edge of the bed and shook his head in an attempt to stop the spinning. It didn’t seem to work. He must’ve lost a lot of blood, since he had no idea when the stab wound had started bleeding. Cursing once more, he took a deep breath to steady himself and got up. The movement seemed to agitate the wound even more as it started bleeding again, soaking his shirt even more. At this rate he would bleed himself dry. Damn those magical artefact induced injuries!

He staggered on his way to the door, swaying as if drunk, though it has been quite a long time since he’d had an alcoholic drink strong enough to properly intoxicate him. Midgardian alcohol felt like a cheap juice compared to the Asgardian alternatives. Okay, he was going into shock, seeing that he was starting to think about alcohol.

As he opened the door, he noticed his hand was bloody. Stark is going to kill him once he saw the blood stains on the walls. Though that wouldn’t matter if he was already dead from blood loss. What a stupid way to go. He needed to steady himself somehow, and the walls were his only option. A few steps forward and he stopped. His breathing was becoming shallow and he could feel his heart racing. He was starting to feel lightheaded and needed to act fast. If only the hallway would stop spinning for a moment!

“Barnes..” he called between breaths and took another step before he leaned against the wall. His legs were feeling weak and couldn’t carry his weight anymore. “Barnes!” he called louder, hoping the soldier would hear him from the end of the hallway where his room was. “Barnes..” he whispered this time, his energy leaving him as he dropped to the floor. The last thing he saw was a figure running to his direction before everything turned dark.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Bucky had just gotten dressed after a shower following another successful training with Steve when he heard his name being called out.

“Sir, mr. Odinson needs immediate help!” FRIDAY suddenly spoke, evident urgency in her voice. “He’s bleeding in the corridor! Med bay is already alerted and the doctor is on his way!” 

Bucky darted out of the room that instant and caught sight of Loki sliding down the wall at the other end of the corridor. “Shit.” He huffed and ran towards the God, who seemed to lose consciousness the moment he reached him.

He dropped next to Loki, carefully moving him to have him lay flat on the floor. He then tore Loki’s shirt off to reveal the soaked bandages and pressed with both hands over the wound to stop further bleeding until the doctor arrived. “FRIDAY, where’s the doctor?!” he shouted.

“ETA 30 seconds!”

As the doctor came running along with a small team of nurses and a gurney, Bucky let out a sigh of relief.

“I don’t know how his wound opened up or how long he’s been bleeding. Lost consciousness a minute ago.” He said and got up to step aside as the team of medics took over.

He watched as the doctor cut off the bandages around Loki’s shoulder and applied a haemostatic agent to the wound. Loki was then carefully transferred onto the gurney and rushed to the med bay. Bucky followed closely and only stopped when they took Loki into the surgery room. The doctor had mentioned something about stitching blood vessels or something, he didn’t really catch the whole thing since he was still shocked to see Loki in that state. It was pretty overwhelming to see the God falling like that before his eyes, especially since the wound was caused by his own hand.

He stared at his hands, covered in Loki’s blood. This was all too much. Can’t they just catch a fucking break? They seemed to jump from one disaster directly into another. He dropped his hands to his sides and sighed. Fucking Doom. As if they didn’t have enough on their plates, he just had to go and steal the Silver Dagger, reactivate the Winter Soldier and get Loki stabbed. The lingering effects of the dagger seemed to be hell bent on killing Loki, even though he knew it was technically impossible. Loki had told him so. There was one artefact that could actually do that, and it was presented to Amber long before Doom got his hands on it. Loki had basically trusted her with his life, so to speak. Now if both of them could stop being idiots, it would be very nice, thank you very much.

Bucky went to the nearby bathroom and washed his hands. Surgery might take a while, but he’ll wait for Loki, like he knew Loki would wait for him. He felt lucky at that moment. Having expanded his circle of friends with more than just Steve. Naturally, Steve was still his best friend and irreplaceable. But he felt more like his old self as he gained more friends. He felt like the popular kid from Brooklyn he once used to be. Only now, instead of being surrounded by a group of girls and Steve, he was surrounded by friends, who happened to be superheroes.. and Steve. A smile tugged at the corner of his lips as he thought of the many times he had saved Steve’s sorry ass from being beaten up for the umpteenth time. Steve could now hold his own, but deep inside he was still that awkward kid he used to know.

He didn’t know why his thoughts turned to his best friend all of a sudden. A coping mechanism? Distraction? Both? He wasn’t sure, but he knew he needed his best friend right now, so as he walked out of the bathroom he asked FRIDAY to inform Steve where he was.

“Captain Rogers will join you soon, sergeant Barnes.”

“Thanks.” He mumbled and went to sit at the waiting area.

“Hey,” Steve walked up to him, dressed in pyjama pants and a t-shirt, hair still wet. He obviously he didn’t bother wasting time changing or drying his hair when FRIDAY asked him to join Bucky. That’s how caring his best friend was.

“Hey, can’t seem to catch a breath lately.” Bucky answered from where he was sitting, leaning with his elbows over his knees.

“Looks like it. What happened?” Steve sat next to him.

“Found him unconscious in the hallway, drenched in blood from the shoulder.”

“Shit.”

“Tell me about it.”

“Should we call Amber? I know you guys stick together when something like this happens.” Steve suggested.

“Yeah, I guess. I don’t know. These two will be the end of me, I swear.” Bucky rubbed his face into his palms and sat up straight and looked at Steve. “Every time I think they’re making a step forward one of them does something stupid and pushes them fifty steps back.”

Steve chuckled. “Reminds me of someone I know.”

“I always ended things before they got too serious and you very well know that.” He raised a metal finger at Steve.

Steve raised both hands in surrender, “I’m just saying, sometimes you went out of your way for a girl and it backfired.” He then patted Bucky’s shoulder. “Call Amber, even if she doesn’t come, she’d at least be informed.”

Bucky nodded. “You’ve got a point there. I’ll go get my phone.”

“Take mine. I’ll go grab us some drinks.” He handed his phone to his friend.

“Coffee for me, black. Thanks.” Bucky took the phone and dialled Amber’s number as Steve went to grab the drinks.

 _“Heyyy Cap! To what do I owe the pleasure at this time of the evening?”_ Amber answered from the other side.

“Hey kid, it’s me.” Bucky said, his voice sounding worried.

_“Bucky? What’s wrong?”_

“Loki is in surgery. His wound had been bleeding.”

Amber was silent for a while. Bucky wasn’t sure if she was still there.

“Kid, you still there?”

 _“Uh.. yeah, yeah.. sorry.”_ He heard her sigh deeply. _“I’m coming over. See you in a bit.”_

“Okay.” He dropped the phone to his side and leaned back on the chair. 

Steve came back with a cup of coffee for Bucky and tea for himself. “Did you call her?” he handed Bucky his cup.

Bucky took the cup, nodding. “She’s on her way.”

“Buck, I haven’t seen you this worried about Loki before.” Steve looked concerned.

“Well, it is my doing.” He sighed.

“Don’t even go there.” Came Tony’s voice as he approached them. Bucky looked at him. “No one holds you accountable for the things the Winter Soldier does.” He sat on a bench across from the two.

“I do.” Bucky looked Tony straight in the eyes, guilt written all over his face. “What makes it worse is that I don’t even remember doing it.”

“I learned to forgive you for the past. It’s time you learn doing that as well.” Tony said with a shrug. 

Bucky took a sip of his coffee and leaned back on the chair. Maybe he should try what Tony said. He doubted it would work, but it was something.

“By the way, already informed Thor. Strange will portal him tomorrow afternoon. Seems being king is too demanding.” Tony said.

“Thanks for doing that. Didn’t even think of Thor.” Bucky replied.

Amber arrived half an hour later, dressed in a long sleeve hoodie and sweatpants, and a pair of sneakers. She spotted the three men and walked over to them. “How is he?” Upon seeing Steve sitting there she quickly tucked her hands into the pockets of her hoodie. A movement that didn’t go unnoticed by both Tony and Bucky.

“Still in there. It hasn’t been that long.” Steve said.

Bucky set his cup aside and got up to pull her into a hug. She didn’t take her hands out of her pockets and Bucky noticed the lack of arms around him. He pulled away just a bit to look at her. “Everything okay, kid?” he whispered.

“Yeah, I was just out of the shower and got out in a hurry. Forgot to put on the veils.” She gave him an apologetic look.

“Jeez, kid, you know Steve doesn’t judge.” He pulled her into a hug again.

“I do.” She replied, smirking. “Now tell me what the Royal Idiot did to get himself into this kind of shit.”

Bucky laughed heartily at that, “I’m so going to tell him that.”

“Don’t care. I know he did something stupid.” She grinned.

With an arm around her shoulders, he walked her to where he was sitting earlier and they sat down. “No idea what he did, but I FRIDAY alerted me he needed help. I just saw him collapsing in the hallway with blood all over.”

“That bad?” She frowned. For someone who was a bundle of emotions on the inside, she managed to hide it well at that moment.

“Yeah. I’m guessing he went into shock from blood loss.”

“I’m requesting Strange to come in the morning and remove the stupid wards he has on his room.” Tony said. “This could have been avoided if FRIDAY wasn’t totally blocked from his room.”

“Yeah, good luck with that. I hear his wards are pretty solid and almost impossible to break.” Amber said.

“See, almost does not mean completely. I’m sure Strange will manage.” Tony replied with a grin and stood up. “I’m going back to bed. See you guys in the morning. Don’t stay up late.”

“Right.” Amber said.

“I can’t believe I said don’t stay up late.” Tony raised his arms in defeat as he walked away.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Several hours passed, Steve had long gone to bed while Amber and Bucky stayed in the waiting room. Each perched up on a bench and neither could sleep now matter how many sheep they tried to count.

“By the way, kid,” Bucky turned his face to look at Amber. She did the same. “Compared to the way you looked the other day when we saw you at the gym, today you look like you’ve been hit by a bus.” He grinned sheepishly.

“Gee, thanks for the compliment, old man.” She snorted, looking away. “Didn’t think of putting on makeup before coming here.”

“I’m just kidding with you, kid. You know I love you no matter. And makeup or not, you look great.”

“Love you too, Ancient Rome.” She smiled and looked at him.

They heard footsteps approaching them and both sat up on their respective benches. The operating doctor entered the waiting area and shook his head as he saw them. “Why did I know you two would be here?” They both looked at each other and smiled fondly. Then they turned their attention to the doctor. “Well, I’m pleased to say your teammate is stable for the time being. But,” he put his hands in his pockets, “He’s not out of the danger zone. He’s lost a lot of blood. If he were human, he’d be dead by now. And since we don’t have any blood matching his in storage here or anywhere, really, for a transfusion, we’ll just have to wait for his body to regenerate blood and recover on its own.”

“And we have no idea how long that would take.” Amber concluded.

The doctor shook his head. “He never allowed us to test him before. Not even a single drop of blood. But either way, we did all we can and now it’s just a matter of waiting. Could be hours, could be days or weeks.”

“Can we see him?” she asked.

“You’re going in no matter what I say anyway,” he smirked at her as she shrugged, “So, sure, go ahead.”

“Thanks, doc.” Bucky said and stood up.

As the doctor left, Amber and Bucky headed to the ICU where Loki was. They silently walked into the room and both of them froze at the sight. All kinds of wires and tubes wrapped around their friend, his shoulder wrapped in thick bandages and his arm secured to his body as to prevent him from moving it in case he woke up. The oxygen mask over his face kept slightly fogging as he breathed steadily. The two of them walked towards the bed and stood on either side of it. Bucky on the bandaged side of Loki and Amber on the other. She absentmindedly took her hand out of her pocket and placed her palm over Loki’s hand, lightly running a scarred thumb over porcelain skin.

“He looks paler than usual.” She looked at Bucky, her eyes glistening with unshed tears.

“He did lose a lot of blood.”

She looked back at Loki. “Royal Idiot.”

“Think you can get a shut eye?”

She shook her head. “I don’t think so. I don’t think I want to, Buck.”

He came to her side and wrapped an arm around her shoulders, placing a soft kiss on her temple. “I’ll take the couch, then.” He knew better than to try and convince her otherwise, no matter how shaky things were between her and Loki. “When I wake up, it’s your turn, okay?” she nodded, smiling. “Good.” He went and lay down on the sofa, while Amber sat on the edge of the bed, next to Loki’s feet. She pulled her knees up to her chest and wrapped her trembling arms around her legs, resting her chin over her knees as she watched him sleep.


	15. Chapter 15

As she watched Loki’s chest move steadily with each breath he took, Amber couldn’t help but reminisce over their past. They had first met at the compound, when Thor had shown up after settling his people at a remote location in Norway, now formally known as New Asgard. They had come to the States because Thor had wanted to see his shield brothers and sisters and talk alliance. It was quite the interesting meeting, at least to her. The original Avengers weren’t too thrilled about Loki’s presence, and the new ones were only apprehensive because of hearsay and, of course, the damage done due to the Chitauri attack, though they hadn’t fought Loki themselves. At the time it had been almost two years since she joined the team of superheroes, at first as a SHIELD strategist and later a spy to aid Bucky and Natasha when needed. Bucky and Natasha had to convince her to join the Avengers, since she initially had no interest in becoming a superhero. Only after bribing her with military grade, top of the line gear and weaponry, courtesy of Stark Industries, did she agree to give it a try. She hadn’t regretted it ever since.

That is, until she had met Loki.

He had been an arrogant asshole to everyone within the compound and then some. Despite Thor’s reassurances that his brother was a reformed man and had no qualms against the people of Earth, Loki made it quite difficult for anyone to trust him. He argued with everyone, defied orders, never followed plans, insulted every single person he laid eyes on. He basically did his own thing. 

She smiled to herself as she remembered her first interaction with him. It had been in late Spring, sometime before dawn one day a few years back. Almost two weeks after he had arrived there with Thor. She was making herself a cup of coffee before she would go for her morning run. He had entered the kitchen out of curiosity upon seeing the lights on. Watched her prepare her beverage as she lightly headbanged and hummed to a song through her headphones. She remembered the feeling of her heart wanting to jump out of her ribcage upon turning around and seeing him standing there, leaning against the doorframe in his casual Asgardian attire. She remembered cursing like a sailor before scolding him, which made him look at her as if she had suddenly grown horns. And only after she was done with her monologue had she offered him a cup as well, which he had accepted. Bitchy or not, she had been raised properly. They had sat at the kitchen island drinking in silence and glaring daggers at each other. Before her first cup of coffee she wouldn’t tolerate anyone’s presence, hence the headphones before even going out for her run. She was not a morning person and not even Bucky was exempt from her bitching if he asked her something before she had consumed at least a cup of a dark roast. That’s why she had always gotten up before the crack of down, even before Natasha, to get her coffee fix before interacting with any human beings. Loki scaring the bejeses out of her before she had even taken her first sip? That was war.

They had been at each other’s necks for months. Loki had turned taunting her into his favorite pastime, which had agitated her even further. He would criticise every strategic plans she would make, would jeopardize a mission by going off the plan. At some point he was banned by Thor from going off plans. It had surprisingly worked and no one knew whether Thor had spoken to him or threatened him with something. But since it worked, nobody questioned it.

She sighed as she kept looking at Loki’s sleeping form. Her eyes darted to the monitor showing his vitals. It looked alright. Pulse and blood pressure a bit elevated, but given the circumstances it was okay. Her gaze followed the cables going down from the monitor and were attached to his chest. She knew the story of every scar on that porcelain skin of his. Some of them were battle scars, some from being tortured by the Mad Titan before he was sent to Earth with he army of Chitauri under his command. Some of the scars were from missions after he had joined them.

She remembered their first mission together, after being teamed up with her and Bucky. They were to infiltrate a Hammer Industries warehouse and collect intelligence. They had been found out and Loki was shot by what turned out to be a Judas Bullet. It was a clean shot with an entry point at the side of his back and an exit on his torso, just above the waist. She remembered trying to apply pressure on both sides of the wound to prevent him from bleeding out and going into shock. She had tried talking to him to keep him conscious until help would arrive. He had later healed himself after the initial shock had subsided and he could concentrate. But after that incident his treatment to her had changed.

He would wake up before her in the morning, so he would already be in the kitchen when she would arrive for her morning coffee. They would drink the dark roast in total silence. The pranks had stopped. He had stopped undermining her during meetings and mission briefings. They slowly became friends. That had also made him change his behaviour against the others. While still wary of them, he stopped insulting everyone at every step. He had started making effort in being social and helping with whatever he could whenever his help was needed. Sometimes he volunteered to help, shocking everyone around. He built friendships with them all and with Amber and Bucky in particular. He started confiding in the two. He had their backs and they his. They had become a solid sub-unit within the Avengers. That’s when their tradition of keeping vigil whenever one of them was hurt had started. With their line of work, it happened a few times that at least one of them had to spend a night or two at med bay, with the others spending the night with them. They were their own sort of a family, in a way.

She remembered the looks he gave her and Bucky whenever they were being close. At first Loki had thought they were secretly courting and tried to keep his distance, but later he had found out they were not and didn’t even think of each other in that way. Amber had found it hilarious when she heard about it.

The memory brought a smile on her face as she watched Loki sleep. If only there was a way she could take away his pain.

Their friendship blossomed over the years as they grew closer. They knew there were unspoken feelings for one another, but neither dared to confess. It was good the way it was going. What if confession had brought pain and separation? Why risk it? There was no need for labels. They knew what they meant for each other, which was more than friends. It was not just friendship anymore, but it had no name. They would spend evenings alone in either of their rooms, watching a movie or listening to music. Sometimes just sitting there, each reading their own book or mission files. They would cuddle in front of the TV or even in bed, sometimes talking about the day or remembering their respective pasts; sometimes just cuddling in silence, enjoying each other’s presence. They would go out together, stick out for each other. And it had always been platonic, even though for her, at least, it was more than that. She had a feeling it was the same for Loki as well, but since he had never said anything, she hadn’t brought it up either. She remembered Bucky and Natasha pointing it out to her more than once. That she should just talk to him instead of waiting for him to make the first step, if that was what she wanted. She wasn’t the confess your feelings type of person. At least not back then.

Their relationship deteriorated after she was caught in the explosion at the Hydra base, which had left her with her current scars. She had caught glimpses of him a few times through the window of the recovery room she was in at the beginning, but he would never come in. And then she stopped seeing him at all and no one knew where he was. That lasted a whole month and then he was back like nothing had happened.

He had been avoiding her at first, and after a few days they accidentally bumped into each other in the living area. She had asked questions about his whereabouts. Why he had disappeared and why he was back all of a sudden. He had kept silent, not giving her any answers. She sighed as she remembered their fight that day. She had said hurtful things. _Very_ hurtful things, and he hadn’t said anything in return. 

It was in the following days that she had looked for and found a place for herself. Despite everyone’s objections, she had gathered her stuff and moved out. She couldn’t stay at the compound anymore.

It broke her heart then and it was breaking her heart now. The pain, the separation, the things she had said to him. It was at that moment that she realized when she had awakened the day after the attack on her apartment, with Loki on her bedside, it was the first time after a whole year that they hadn’t spoken to each other and she hadn’t apologized for her words. And yet, she was expecting an apology from him.

A gasp escaped her lips as she mulled over her own hypocrisy. Wanting an apology when you owed the other person one as well? And on top of that, he hadn’t even requested nor demanded one from her.

She hadn’t actually demanded an apology from him directly. It was always through comments she would make with the others, mainly Bucky or Tony, that she would mention it. Though she was sure Bucky would have told Loki of it at some point, since they were still friends and did confide in each other.

She brought her elbows to her knees and rubbed her face into her palms. She had fucked up just much as Loki had. Her fuck up was on a different level, given that it was herself that decided it was one, but still a fuck up nonetheless.

“I’m such an asshole.” She whispered to herself and looked at Loki through her fingers. How could she be so self-centred all this time and never even realizing it? And what? For a whole year?! She was so stuck on wanting him to apologize to her that she had totally neglected to remember that she herself had owed him the exact same thing she was demanding of him.

Tears welled up in her eyes as guilt washed over her. How could she do that to him? To them? In the center of it all, she was just as much to blame for their friendship, their relationship, deteriorating.

While a small part of her still held on to the anger at him for kissing her the other day, it seemed quite insignificant right now compared to this realisation. She was now at war within herself. She kept remembering their fight, the words she had said, the pained look in his eyes which had turned to stone cold as he built up invisible barriers, probably to block her hurtful monologue.

And he hadn’t said a thing.

After all that he still wanted to be by her side.

After all that he was still affectionate with her.

She was blind to it all.

And it cost her the relationship with one of the two people she deeply cared for.

She couldn’t stop the tears anymore as they started flowing down her cheeks. She folded her arms over her knees and buried her face over them, silent sobs escaping her throat as she started crying.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Bucky turned around in on the couch, slowly waking up. When he opened his eyes, he looked around and then towards Loki’s bed. He saw Amber sitting at the foot of it, hunched over her knees and.. she was shaking. He sat up slowly, rubbing his eyes to clear them and looked up again. There was something different about the way she was shaking. It wasn’t just her arms and shoulders as usual, but her whole body, as if she was crying. Realization hit him as he heard her soft sobs over the humming of the air conditioning. He stood up and walked over to her.

He stood next to her and simply placed a hand over her back, gently rubbing it in circles. He didn’t know the exact reason behind her sobs, but it didn’t even matter. He was there for her nonetheless.

She raised her head to look at him, face stricken with tears and her eyes red. It looked that she had been crying for a while. “I’m here.” He whispered, giving her a gentle smile.

She turned to face him, folding her legs underneath her in the process and he took her in his arms, holding her tightly as she wrapped her arms around him and cried against his chest, losing control over her sobs as they became more audible. Bucky just stood there with her in his arms. With one hand over her back, he gently stroked her hair with the other. He would let her cry for as long as she needed and he wouldn’t move an inch before she calmed down on her own.

After a while Amber’s sobs had softened into slight shivers until she slowly calmed down. Her arms were trembling horribly around Bucky’s waist, so she clutched tightly at his shirt in an attempt to stop the shaking. Feeling her trembling arms, Bucky wrapped his arms tightly around her, placing a soft kiss on top her head. “It’s okay.” He whispered, then pulled back a bit and brought a hand to lift her chin. He cupped her cheek and wiped her tears with a thumb as he looked at her. “Wanna talk about it?”

She sighed, then sniffed, letting go of his waist to bring a sleeved arm and wipe at her nose. “I’ve been such a hypocrite asshole all this time.”

“What do you mean?” he brushed a strand of hair off her face.

“I’ve been waiting for an apology while I owed him one myself.” She looked down to her lap. “I’m such a hypocrite. I ruined everything we had.” Her tears started flowing again.

Bucky cupped her face with both hands and leaned down a bit to look her in the eyes. “Amber, you didn’t ruin anything. Trust me on that.” He smiled a little. “You had a falling out, it happens. But not all is lost.” He wiped her tears. “I promise you it will be alright.”

She nodded, sniffing again. “I hope you’re right.”

“I know I am.” He was still smiling at her. If it were possible, he would seriously consider adopting her as his little sister. He should totally ask Tony if that was a thing in this time and age. “I’m going to get us some coffee, okay? Dark roast as you like it in the morning.” He didn’t even know what time it was, but any time after midnight was already morning in his book. So it totally counts.

When she nodded, he placed a kiss on the top of her head and wiped the tears off her cheeks once more before he left the room to get them the promised coffee.

Amber turned her gaze to Loki, still sleeping peacefully. She looked at his free hand laying beside him. She leaned sideways and reached up with a trembling hand and took his in her own. Without even thinking about what she was doing, too tired to think at that point, she leaned further down her side until she was laying down next to his leg, her back to him, head over his thigh just above the knee and still holding his hand in hers. She pulled her knees up to her chest and didn’t even noticed when sleep had claimed her.

Bucky came back after a few minutes with two hot cups in hand. Upon seeing the way Amber was sleeping, he just smiled and shook his head. He went over to the couch, setting the cups of coffee on a side table and grabbed the thin sheet he used for a blanket and put it over Amber. Then he pulled the side rail of the bed up, to prevent her from accidentally falling off. He looked at her fondly and ran his hand over her hair, brushing a strand off her face. Then he grabbed the cups of coffee he had brought and left the room. There was no point in going back to sleep since he was already wide awake. It was almost sunrise, so he decided to go out for a run. Maybe he could join Steve.

-*-*-*-*-*-

It was early afternoon when his eyes slowly fluttered open. There was a mask on his face. Damned mortals and their machines. He didn’t need a breathing apparatus! He was a God! He was about to bring his hand up to remove the retched thing off his face when he realized one whole arm was trapped against his chest, and the other was being held tightly. There was also some weight on his thigh. He blinked a few times to clear his vision, and then looked down only to be met by a brown bush of hair that he instantly recognized. And his hand was being held by her. His eyes closed again on their own and he sighed. He didn’t want to sleep again, so he forced them open. He kept blinking and squinting his eyes, fighting against the effects of whatever it was they had given him. His memory was a bit hazy. He remembered waking up, there was blood and he was looking for Barnes. And then his legs felt weak and.. oh.. alright, he must have passed out from blood loss. How humiliating. He sighed and looked around the room, searching for Barnes. He found the man sitting sideways on the couch with his legs spread before him, hair wet and reading a magazine. He then looked at the brunette sleeping on his thigh. A tired smile formed on his lips. Maybe she wasn’t mad at him anymore. Would he dare to hope? The thought scared him a little bit. His mind was still hazy from the drugs they had injected him with. His eyes kept betraying him. What if he closed them and the next time he would open it would turn out to have been a dream? No, he needed to stay awake. Maybe if he carefully tried to sit up without waking her? Would it work?

At the smallest attempt to sit up, which didn’t work well with one arm completely wrapped against him and the other being otherwise occupied, the barest movement he managed was jarring his shoulder, which resulted in a pained hiss and he involuntarily jerked his unoccupied knee up.

The movement and hiss caused Amber to stir and Bucky to sit up and look at Loki’s direction. The God had a pained expression on his face, eyes squinting shut. So Bucky got up and rushed to Loki’s side.

Amber opened her eyes and slowly sat up, letting go of Loki’s hand to support herself as she rubbed her eyes and turned to look at Loki. Her heart got caught in her throat at his pained expression and she instantly turned around to look at Bucky, who was standing at the other side of the bed.

Loki breathed slowly as he waited for the pain to subside. When it did, he sighed slowly as his facial expression relaxed and he slowly opened his eyes again, only to be met by worried yet familiar faces staring at him.

“Could..” he cleared his dry throat, “could someone take this abomination off my face?” he closed his eyes again. Damn this sleeping spell that didn’t want to go away.

Bucky happily obliged, taking away the oxygen mask and set it aside, a big grin on his face. “Welcome back to the land of the living.” He said.

“Not sure how I feel about it.” Loki said groggily.

Amber was smiling, tears falling down her cheeks once more and she didn’t care to attempt to stop them.

“Oh dear,” Loki said about seeing her and turned to look at Bucky. “I think I broke her.”

Bucky chuckled, shaking his head. Loki was doing the ‘nothing happened’ thing again. “You’re impossible.” He said. “How are you feeling, though?”

“Sleepy and in pain.” Loki closed his eyes again and licked his lips. “And thirsty. Can you help me sit up?”

Bucky raised the bed to a half-sitting position and grabbed a glass of water, handing it to Loki. All the while Amber was sitting next to his legs, staring at him with a smile on her face and tears in her eyes. Loki took a couple of sips of water and handed the glass back to Bucky, mumbling his thanks.

“I’m gonna go tell the others you’re awake. The doctor might want to see you later.” Bucky told Loki, then turned to Amber. “Kid, you good?” she nodded. “Okay, I’ll be back later with some food. See you guys later.” He winked at Amber before he left, and at the door he asked FRIDAY to give them some privacy, having a feeling the two might want to talk.

Amber kept sitting next to Loki, legs tucked underneath her and just looking at him. The amount of relief she felt was indescribable. Like a bucket of warm, relaxing water washing over her, taking away years of burdens with it. Words seemed to fail her at that moment. She had so much to say that she didn’t know what she should start with. Loki stared back with a gentle smile gracing his face. He didn’t know the reason behind the way she was looking at him like that, nor did he care. She was smiling at him and that’s the only thing that mattered right now. Maybe he can allow himself to hope that she wasn’t mad at him anymore?

“You’re from now on known as the Royal Idiot, just so you know.” She said, wiping her tears.

Loki chuckled. “And what do I owe the pleasure of getting that title?”

“Because..” she wiped her eyes again and her nose with her sleeve. “Because you are. Why did you have to go and get yourself almost bleed to death?”

“If I knew, I’d tell you. I woke up bleeding. Called for Barnes and next thing I know I’m waking up here.”

“You must have done something that opened up the wound.” She eyed him carefully. She wasn’t scolding, just stating a thought while her smile still in place. She didn’t seem to be able to stop smiling. “And so, Royal Idiot. For not being careful. For not following the doctor’s orders.” She crawled a bit closer so now she was sitting next to his thigh instead of the calf a moment ago. “For scaring the hell out of me. For making me think I almost lost you.” She wiped her tears again as a sob escaped her throat. “For.. for..”

“I didn’t mean to.” He quickly said, interrupting her and bringing his hand to hold her trembling one. He noticed the lack of cover on them. It was the first time for him to see her without the covers for her scars, but being who he was, he managed to prevent his emotions from surfacing. “It was an accident. Apparently happened in my sleep.”

She nodded, her mind going back to the fight they had a year ago, distracting her from the fact that he was touching her scars. She didn’t want it to continue fighting anymore. She was done with it. She just wanted him.

“Loki, I want to tell you something.” She looked solemnly onto her lap. “About that time I called you names.” She looked back at him, looking serious and feeling nervous at the same time. “Do you remember it?”

“Never forgotten.” He replied, his smile also gone as he wondered where she was going with this.

“I’ve been blinded by rage. And it took me this,” she motioned at his shoulder, “happen to you to realize what an asshole I have been all this time. And for that, I apologize.” She looked into his eyes as she said the words. “I’m sorry for insulting you that day. For calling you all those things. While I still don’t agree with how things were handled from both of us, I’m sorry I ruined our relationship, our friendship, our comradery. No matter where life leads us, I hope you will find it in your heart to forgive me.”

Loki looked at her and wished he had both arms free to hold her tightly in his arms, but he will have to do with one for now. He slowly sat up and wrapped his free arm around her, pulling her closer to him into a hug. Amber snaked an arm around his waist and braced herself against the back of the mattress to keep herself from putting any weight on his injury and buried her face into his neck.

“I’m so sorry.” She whispered.

“You have nothing to apologize for. You had every right to call me all that. I deserved it. Being separated from you caused me indescribable pain. But I am happy to see you here.” He spoke softly into her ear.

She hesitantly pulled away from the hug, kneeling at his side, and brought the hand that wasn’t balancing her weight to cup his cheek as she looked deep into his eyes. “I care for you, Loki. More than I can put into words.” She leaned her forehead against his. “More than anything in this world.” She whispered, feeling his soft breath against her lips.

He closed his eyes as she leaned her forehead against his own, basking in the closeness. He didn’t care for the apology because he believed she didn’t have to apologize at all. But it was still nice to hear. And then she went on and confessed her feelings, which made his heart skip a beat and his heart started racing. “I..” he swallowed, staring into her eyes, “I care for you as well. More than anything in this or the other realms.”

She smiled as she brought her lips to gently brush against his, carefully testing, as if asking for his permission. Her warm breath brushing against his lips. Loki inhaled deeply as emotions ran wild through his whole body. Tensing slightly before he relaxed as he closed his eyes and raised his chin for his lips to meet hers. That was all the affirmation Amber needed and her eyes fluttered shut on their own accord as she pressed her lips even more against his.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> We're getting places!   
> Comments are always appreciated ❤


	16. Chapter 16

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you for the comments on the previous chapter!

As if time had stopped at that moment. They kissed once, twice, until they’ve had a taste for each other and realized they’d never have enough. Loki’s arm wrapped even tighter around Amber’s waist, pulling her body even closer to him. His mouth parted slightly as he ran the tip of his tongue along her lips, asking for more. That seemed to send waves of tremors along Amber’s nerves and a soft moan escaped her as she happily obliged, parting her lips as her tongue met his and gradually deepening the kiss.

It was like opening up their souls, tasting feeling and seeing every colour of the rainbow. It was soft, it was sweet. The world around them didn’t exist anymore and it was just them, captured in a single moment in the fabric of time and space. They breathed each other in, exhaled soft moans of delight and desire.

Amber tried to keep her weight off Loki’s chest, and it was proving to be difficult. She wanted to feel more of him. Years of closeness followed a year of painful complete separation only fuelled her desire for him at that moment. Her right arm was shaking violently as it kept most of her weight off of Loki. As his grip around her waist tightened, she faltered a bit and accidentally put a little weight on Loki’s left shoulder, causing him to flinch and break the kiss.

“Oh shit..” she breathed out against his lips and sat down, hovering her shaking arms over his shoulder, not daring to touch as to not cause him anymore pain. “Are you ok?”

Loki’s hand rested on her thigh and she could feel it was tense. His eyes were shut tight and lips pursed in a thin line, obviously in pain, though he nodded. “Mhmm..” he hummed, taking in sharp breaths.

She pulled her hands to herself, covering her mouth as she watched him. He dropped his head back against the pillow behind him, nostrils flaring as he waited for the sharp pain to subside.

“Loki, I’m so sorry..” she whispered, but he shook his head.

“Don’t be. It’ll be fine.” He managed a smile, though eyes still tightly shut. He ran his hand over her thigh, as if telling her without words that he’s alright, he will be alright.

She pulled the sleeves of her hoodie over both of her hands and held his hand with one, the other going back to cover her mouth in concern as she waited. Now that he was fully awake, she felt self-conscious about him touching her scarred skin. Her mind almost went into overdrive upon realizing he was awake earlier too when he had held her hand. She needed her veils, and very soon.

He took a deep breath as his face relaxed and he opened his eyes. As he was met with a pair of concerned hazel orbs, he smiled as a warm feeling washed over him.

“Hi..” she said, smiling back behind the sleeve covered hand.

“Hi,” he replied.

“I’m really sorry.”

“You’re doing a lot of that lately.”

“It came a year too late. I’m sorry for that too.”

“And you’re doing it again.” He grinned, turning his palm up to hold hers over her thigh.

She shrugged with a light chuckle, suddenly feeling like a teenager who had just been kissed for the very first time. “Can’t help it. I feel like I should apologize for kissing you..”

He squeezed her hand, interrupting her, “please don’t apologize for that.” He let go of her hand and brought his palm to her cheek, running his thumb over her cheekbone. “Ever.”

She covered his hand with her sleeved one and nodded. “I can do that.” She said softly.

While she didn’t need to apologize for kissing him, Loki thought he should, for kissing her. Apologizing for any of his actions was basically going against his very nature. But for her, for having her by his side, in his life, he would tear his own nature inside and out and throw it to the wolves if he had to. 

“I must admit that kissing you the other day was a wrong move.” He started, “I had made a grave mistake and for that, I..”

His speech was interrupted when the door suddenly opened and the doctor walked in, followed by the nurse. Loki groaned lightly as he let his hand drop from Amber’s cheek and she carefully hopped off the bed. The one time in his life he had gathered the strength and courage to utter the words, and he gets interrupted.

“These beds are meant for the patients, Agent Bishop.” The doctor said. While his tone sounded strict, the smirk on his face told her otherwise, so she smiled sheepishly as she mumbled a ‘sorry’ and moved aside to give him space to examine Loki. “Good afternoon, Mr. Odinson,” he said, tapping on a tablet he was holding. “I see your vitals are good, with a notable spike in heart rate not too long ago. Any idea what caused it?”

Loki shook his head. “Not a clue.” He replied, casting his gaze momentarily at Amber with a slight smirk and then turned his attention back to the doctor.

“If you say so.” The doctor smirked as well, not really buying it, but he didn’t press it any further. “We’ll be checking on your wound today, to see how it’s doing so far.” When Loki nodded, the nurse helped him sit up straight as she carefully took the bandages off. The doctor then approached that side of the bed and took his time examining the sutures and the wound itself. He mumbled his notes and the nurse tapped them onto the tablet. He stepped aside once he was done and the nurse put a new roll of bandages around his shoulder.

She was about to wrap his arm around his torso again when Loki raised his other hand, interrupting her. “May I ask to keep my arm free?” he turned to the doctor when the nurse looked at the older man as well.

“Only if you promise me not to put any pressure on it for as long as the wound is healing.” The doctor said.

“I promise.” Loki said. He wasn’t a fool, nor he was lying to the doctor. Had the wound been caused by a mortal-made weapon, he wouldn’t have cared, as it would have long healed by then. But wounds inflicted by the Silver Dagger were not to be taken lightly, and he knew better than anyone how serious it was. Not counting the unintended self-inflicted mishap of the day before, of course.

“Okay, then. Arm stays free, but use a slinger. We’ll get you a new one in a bit. It puts even less pressure on the shoulders while maintaining a firm, but not uncomfortable, hold on your arm.”

“Thank you, doctor.” Loki smiled, relieved.

As the nurse finished bandaging his shoulder, the doctor went on with instructions concerning pain and anti-inflammatory medication. He was to take those for a maximum of three days. After that he would only take pain medication and only if the pain was unbearable.

Amber listened carefully to the doctor’s instructions, making mental notes on how she could be of help. She needed to call Michelle and tell her she won’t be coming to work for a while.. again. 

As the doctor and the nurse left, Bucky came in, followed by Natasha and Steve. “Hey,” he grinned, first giving Amber a one-armed hug and kissing her temple, then moving on to Loki’s side. “How’s it going?”

“Better than expected.” Loki told him, eyes darting to Amber and then back to Bucky. “Much better than expected.” He grinned.

Bucky recognized the grin and mirrored it. Natasha raised an eyebrow and turned to look at Amber, who suddenly found the ceiling quite interesting to look at. “I think,” she turned to the men, “you guys need some coffee. We’ll go get some.” 

“I could get us coffee,” Steve offered, like the gentleman that he was.

“Nah, we’ll get it. Consider it my act of kindness of the day.” She smirked at the captain and grabbed at Amber’s sleeve, and dragging her out.

Loki’s eyes followed the Widow as she pulled Amber out of the room. He shook his head, amused.

Bucky and Steve pulled chairs close to the bed and sat down. “So, everything good after the check up?” Steve asked.

“Yes.” Loki nodded. “Three days of medication and then pain meds only when needed.”

“Good to know. Glad you’re fine, Loki.”

“Thank you, Captain.”

“Now tell me, did you guys talk?” Bucky was curious. He knew he would get the whole story from Amber, and maybe even from Loki if he pushed enough, but he was too eager to wait. “Just yes or no would suffice.” If Amber was a private person, Loki was the king of privacy. So Bucky knew he wouldn’t be saying much with Steve in the room.

Loki nodded, a hint of a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. That was all Bucky needed to know for now.

“Good.” Bucky smiled. “And seeing you’re still in one piece, I’m I right to assume it went well?”

“So far, yes.”

Bucky leaned back in his seat, nodding his approval, while Steve watched the interaction in silence.

“So, wanna tell us what happened? I mean how you ended up busting your wound open.” Steve asked. So far no one knew what exactly happened, aside from what Bucky had told them about finding him bleeding out in the hallway.

“I’m not quite sure.” Loki said, “one moment I’m thinking about things, then I lay down in bed,” he conveniently skipped mentioning that by ‘thinking’ he meant panicking about Amber’s reaction upon telling her about what they had been planning, and by ‘laying down on bed’ he meant throwing himself onto the bed and screaming into his pillow. “Next thing I know I’m waking up from sleep drenched in blood.”

“That’s pretty weird.” Steve contemplated. “That shouldn’t have opened up the wound.”

“The effects of the Silver Dagger on a Frost Giant are unpredictable.” Loki explained. For a lie to be believable, you had to stay close to the truth. “It affects every specie differently. There are information about some species, but I’ve never come across anything concerning Frost Giants.”

“Maybe you’re the first one to come in contact with it.” Steve said. It was the only explanation that made sense to him.

“Or maybe he slept on that shoulder and his weight basically caused it to open up and bleed.” Bucky supplied, opting to go for the simple version.

“Or that.” Steve agreed.

“It is possible.” Loki nodded. Oh if they only knew..

“Either way, we’re glad you’re out of the danger zone, buddy.” Bucky smiled.

“Thank you.” Loki inclined his head slightly in appreciation.

-*-*-*-*-*-

“Natasha, stop pulling at my hoodie! You’ll stretch it!” Amber said as soon as they were out of the room and the door closed behind them. She pulled her arm from Natasha’s grip and pulled the sleeves over her hands. “What’s going on?”

“You tell me.” Natasha smirked, giving her a knowing look.

Amber rolled her eyes and then grinned. “Let’s go get coffee first.” She nodded in the direction of the coffee machine and they moved in that direction.

She told Natasha only snippets of what had transpired last night and earlier between her and Loki. Skipping over her night long ride down the memory lane and all the small details she deemed private. She replaced those with terms like ‘I did some thinking’ and ‘I decided’, nothing that would give her private truth away. That was between her and Loki alone. She did mention the kiss though. At first Natasha was apprehensive, given that Amber was quite taken aback and downright insulted when Loki had kissed her before, but seeing that there were two obviously different motives behind both instances, she finally smiled at her friend.

“Way to go, girl.” She nudged at Amber’s side as she took a cup of coffee out of the machine and placed it on a tray. “Just promise me to be careful.”

“When am I not?” Amber snorted, putting a new cup into the machine and pressing the brew button.

“You can never be too careful with men. Humans or Gods. They’re all the same.”

“True, but I hope you’re wrong.”

“For your sake, I hope so too.” The spy smiled. “So how is it going to go from here?”

Amber shrugged. “No clue. I guess I’ll just go with the flow and see where that takes us. There’s a lot of baggage that cannot be discarded on a whim. I guess we’ll take it one step at a time.”

“Good enough for me. Let me know if you need me to kick his ass or something.” Natasha grinned.

“Will do.” Amber grinned back. 

-*-*-*-*-*-

The group had coffee together, chatting away about how the day had been going outside of Loki’s room. The conversation shifted a bit towards the search for Doom and how there was no sign of him so far. Loki and Barnes shared a look when the topic was brought up, which did not go unnoticed by Amber. She wondered how long it would take them until one of them, preferably Loki, for his own sake, would spill the beans to her. They were plotting again, she was sure of it. No, she was not going to wait for them to come to her. Not anymore.

Once Natasha and Steve had left, Amber turned to the two men, giving them a calculating look. “Okay, who’s going to say it first?”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Loki said, raising an eyebrow.

“Same here.” Bucky added.

“While talking about Doom, you looked at each other.” She stated as a matter of fact. “You’re planning something behind my back.. again.” She glared at Loki when she said the last word.

The men looked at each other again, sharing a silent understanding and Loki nodded. Bucky turned his gaze up to one of FRIDAY’s sensors. “FRIDAY, secure this room. Go dark.”

“Going dark in 3, 2, 1..”

Amber looked from Bucky to Loki and then back to Bucky, suddenly feeling worried. “What’s going on?”

Bucky didn’t talk. He simply shifted in his seat so he was facing her directly and started signing.

_“We suspect that Doom might be using our technology against us, without even Tony or FRIDAY noticing. So we might have found a way to look for Doom without him finding out.”_

“Why the..” she started, but then realized there was a reason Bucky was using sign language instead of speaking. So, she signed her question. _“Why are you signing instead of speaking? FRIDAY has gone dark, so no one would be able to see or hear us.”_

_“Can’t risk anything. Even the talk about this whole thing we did outside the compound, a couple of miles away.”_

_“Okay, so what did you find?”_

So Bucky told her what he and Loki had talked about the other day. How going about it the old fashioned way and without traceable technology might give them an advantage on finding out where Doom was and hopefully catching him off guard. He also told her about the idea of getting Strange to grant them access to his mirror dimension for their meetings, which he had agreed to do, after some convincing.

Amber listened carefully, taking in all the information and running it through her strategically inclined mind. As Bucky signed, she was already planning, placing people in places, plotting movement, communication, every little detail that needed to be considered. Once Bucky finished telling her everything, she nodded and turned her attention to Loki.

_“Were you going to keep this from me too?”_ she wasn’t smiling when she asked, if the crease between her eyebrows was any indication.

_“No.”_ Loki signed. _“I was in fact debating on how and when to tell you... before I ended up here.”_

The corner of her lip tugged upwards at that. So he did consider telling her, but something was off. The way Loki looked as he signed the last sentence. It was as if his dilemma had a role to play in his wound opening up again. 

_“We’ll get everyone together once you’re better.”_ She told him. _“Is this all there is for me to know so far?”_

“Yeah, FRIDAY, we’re done.” Bucky said.

“Back, up and running.” The AI responded.

“So, how does that relate to you bleeding half to death?” she raised an accusing eyebrow at Loki.

“Uhm..” he looked onto his lap, smoothing the sheets over his thigh. “Well..”

“Out with it.” She demanded in a stern tone.

“Um.. I’m gonna go see if I can get us something to eat.” Bucky said and stood up.

“Sit.” Amber demanded. “You’re just as deep in this as he is.”

Bucky sat back down silently. He looked at Loki and shrugged awkwardly. When Amber was in a bad mood, even the Winter Soldier wouldn’t stand a chance. And the way she sounded now? She was on a high speed train to Bad Mood City.

So Loki talked. He told her how he was in a dilemma with himself about telling her. How anxiety was gnawing at him at how she would react to the fact. Whether it would worsen their already deteriorated relationship or not. He spoke of how he had consulted Thor and Bucky on what to do, and that both men had advised him to just tell her. He admitted that while that was his desire, he also wanted to protect her from harm’s way. Especially after failing to do so the first time. He spoke of how agitated he was at himself that he practically threw himself against his bed, which ultimately agitated his wound, and that he had apparently fallen asleep without realizing and had awoken in a pool of blood, leading to where they were now.

Amber and Bucky listened in silence. Loki was surprisingly detailed in his recounting of what had transpired with him in his room. Amber had wrapped her arms around her waist to keep the tremors to a minimum, or at least to not let them be too visible as Loki spoke. She felt guilty, in a way, to have caused him such distress that he wasn’t able to tell her something so important. She tried to think of when it had all started. What was the reason he stopped telling her things, keeping secrets from her, that when the time came to share an important piece of news, he would be debating with himself whether he should tell her or how he should tell her.

Her facial expression softened as she looked down into her lap once Loki finished speaking. She closed her eyes to help her focus on what she wanted to say next. When she opened her eyes next, she looked at both men. The two men in her life she cared the most about. She hugged herself tighter as she struggled to keep her composure. 

“You both are idiots.” She said softly, a little smile tugging at her lips. “Royal Idiot and Sergeant Idiot.” She shook her head in disbelief, her smile fading. “Although, I’m still trying to figure out where I went wrong.”

“What do you mean?” Bucky asked, his voice soft and careful.

“What did I say or do to make you want to keep these kind of things from me, or struggling with yourself trying to figure out how to tell me.” She was looking at Loki. “When did it start?”

“It’s nothing that you have done or said.” Loki replied, solemnly.

“Then why?”

“Amber, I think this is something you two need to discuss in private, and maybe at a time when Loki is feeling better.” Bucky pleaded.

“No, Bucky. I need to know now. I need to know if it’s something I can work on or even fix. I would be telling you about it all anyway,” she gave him a knowing smile, “so to me it doesn’t make any difference if you were here or not. Though I’d prefer if you stayed.”

Bucky looked at Loki, who sighed and nodded. Bucky already knew the story that started all the secrecy, and it was only a matter of time until he would tell Amber everything. He wanted it to be on his own terms, but that ship had sailed. Amber had confronted him about it a year ago and back then he evaded the answer. And that eventually lead to right now, where she was thinking she had caused the secrecy to start, which was not the truth at all. It had started because Loki had failed to protect her. He had failed at reaching her before the explosives. Failed at comforting her while she was recovering from atrocious burns. Failed at being there for her while she was rehabilitating. And he wanted revenge for that. To be able to redeem himself. But he simply failed.

Amber had leaned forward in her seat, propping trembling elbows over her knees and squeezing sleeve-covered fists into her eyes. That was too much to handle. Way too much.

She raised her face to look at Loki with a soft frown between her eyebrows. “What am I to do with you?” she sighed softly.

Bucky just wanted to leave. This should be a conversation between the two of them, without him in the mix. So he slowly turned in his seat, maybe if he moved slow enough Amber would ignore him and focus on Loki. Then he can slide out. If he was lucky, that is, but he wasn’t. Not today at least.

“Bucky, I said sit.” She said firmly.

Bucky turned back towards her and sighed in defeat. He hated how strong of an impact she had on him. He can terrorize hundreds, if not thousands of people by just existing, and here a single entity of a woman, one he would be able to crush by one hand if he wanted to -which he doesn’t and would never!- could make him sit the fuck down with a single word. His mom would have loved her.

“How long have you known?” she asked.

“A few weeks.”

“Alright.” She kept tugging at the sleeves of her hoodie. The fact that she didn’t have her veils or even gloves on made her unbelievably self-conscious. It was ridiculous really. If anything, the two men in the room would be the only people in the world who wouldn’t judge her for how she looked. Bucky had even seen her scars numerous times in the past, but Loki hasn’t. Well, not between the day she got them and today, at least. She stayed silent. Got up and paced the room. Her mind going back and forth over what Loki had just confessed to her. 

She came to a stop at the foot of the bed, eyes shifting from Loki to Bucky. They didn’t say anything while waiting for her reaction. It seemed that this was the silence before the storm and it was gnawing at their very last nerve. Especially when Amber started pacing again.

“Kid, will you say something?” Bucky broke the deafening silence.

She stopped and turned to him. “What do you want me to say?” she looked calm, but her voice was low, threatening, like a cheetah getting ready to pounce on its prey.

“Anything, something! Don’t just give us a silent treatment!”

“Doesn’t feel good, does it?” she smirked, coming to sit at the foot of the bed, dragging her legs up and crossing them. Loki moved his feet out of the way to make some space for her.

“No, it doesn’t.” Bucky sighed. “So you made your point.”

“Though it’s not really the same.” Loki added, a hint of amusement in his voice.

“It’s nowhere near to being the same.” Amber huffed, looking between Bucky and Loki. “Listen carefully, both of you. I will only say this once.” She paused for effect, when they nodded, she continued. “Both of you know I don’t like secrecy. In fact, you know that I hate it. Especially when it’s something this big, when there are lives involved. Even more so when I’m personally connected to it.” She looked down onto her lap, pushing one hand into the sleeve of the other, making sure no skin was visible in the process. Both Loki and Bucky watched the movement and looked at each other with concern on their faces. Bucky knew how Amber felt about her scars and guessed that Loki had an idea by now as well. “If it’s about a surprise party, a fucking present, or I don’t know, a stupid gender reveal, all those girly stuff, I don’t mind. Secrecy even adds to the anticipation and all.” She raised her head to look at them, the crease between her eyebrows deepening. “But not when it involves work. Not when it involves the enemy. And especially not when it involves the wellbeing or the lives of either of you.” She looked at them with determination. “So promise me, both of you, no more secrets.”

Bucky got up and wrapped his arms around her. “No more secrets. I promise.”

Loki wished he could take her into his arms as well, but given his state, he opted for carefully leaning forward and placing a hand over her knee. “I give you my word.”

“Thanks.” She smiled, taking her hand out of the other sleeve and making sure it was still covered as she placed it over Loki’s hand. “Both of you.” She wrapped the other arm around Bucky’s waist. “You guys are my family. I don’t want to be out of the loop if something happens.” Given the type of work they were in, something was bound to happen at some point and Amber wouldn’t be able to forgive herself if she couldn’t even try to do something about it.

“You done being mad at us, kid?” Bucky pulled back a bit to look at her, grinning.

“Oh, hell no. I still want to punch both of you into oblivion. But I’m too tired to function.” She smiled at him and leaned onto his chest, her face towards Loki. “You two exhaust me.”

Loki gave her an apologetic smile, his hand still on her knee. He gave it a gentle squeeze and then slowly leaned back, pursing his lips as to not wince at the pain. Maybe he should take one of those pain medications the doctor prescribed him. Not that it would have much effect, but maybe the placebo effect could come into play or something.

“Would you like to lay down for a bit?” Bucky asked softly.

Amber nodded, pulling away from him to get off the bed. “I’ll take the couch.” As she dropped her legs at the edge of the bed, Bucky reached for her trembling arms to help her off of it. She grabbed him by the forearms as she hopped off the bed and momentarily her sleeves moved upwards, revealing her scarred hands. She instantly shoved both her hands into her pockets and was about to make her way to the couch when Bucky held her arm.

“Amber..”

“Yeah?” she turned to look at him.

“It’s okay, it’s only us here.” He said, giving her a gentle yet reassuring smile.

Her eyes moved to Loki and then to Bucky. She looked at her friend and shook her head with sadness in her eyes. “Tony has the veils. I’ll get them later.” She simply said and walked over to the couch.

“Would you be more comfortable if you went to your room?” Bucky suggested. Maybe a nap in her old room would give her more privacy or something. He didn’t know. He just hated seeing her like this. She was one of the strongest women he has ever known and yet she was unbelievably self-conscious about her scars, even around Loki.

She got on the couch in a half sitting position, her legs stretched before her and hands still in her pockets. “How about a movie?” she suggested in an attempt to shift the attention from herself.

“We know what you’re doing.” Bucky said and Loki nodded. “But okay.” He went to grab the remote from the side table near Loki’s bed and pressed ‘on’ button to turn on the flatscreen that was hanging in a corner. “Any preferences?” he asked and looked pointedly at Amber, who perked up, “aside from rom coms?”

She huffed as she slumped down in her seat. “You’re no fun.” She pouted at him.

“Oh don’t give me that look!” Bucky whined and turned to Loki, “Loki, tell her not to give me that look!”

“I’m treading on thin ice as is.” Loki raised his good arm in surrender. “You do well to keep me out of it.”

“See, he learns fast.” Amber grinned.

Loki rolled his eyes, but smiled. Bucky didn’t say anything and started going through the list of movies available. “How about I choose this time, then?” he was adamant on not watching a romantic comedy today.

“How about ‘A Knight’s Tale’?” Amber offered and both men groaned. “When Harry Met Sally?” Another groan. “Hey, I thought you were staying out of it!” she addressed Loki.

“Doesn’t mean I automatically agree to every suggestion.” He responded with a smirk and was met with a scowl.

“Ooh I know, how about Casablanca? Haven’t seen that for a while.” Bucky said, excited to watch a movie from his past.

“That’s still romance, old man.” Amber chuckled.

“It’s good quality romance.” 

“If I don’t get to watch my kind of romance movies, you don’t get to watch yours either.”

“Okay, I have a suggestion. It’s Loki’s room, so he gets to choose.”

“I thought I wasn’t supposed to meddle?” Loki raised an eyebrow.

“Dude, come on!”

“Okay, okay.” Amber smirked. “Loki gets to choose.”

“Oh dear, you really are tired if you give up on choosing a movie so fast.” Loki was amused.

“Like I said before, you two exhaust me.” She shrugged, smirk still in place.

“Okay, Loki, choose.” Bucky handed him the remote.

Loki scrolled through the titles without really paying attention to them. He simply scrolled down a bit and stopped at a random one. “The Patriot.” He said.

“Ooh that’s a good one.” Amber said, wiggling herself into a comfortable position.

“I haven’t seen it, so ok.” Bucky said and pulled his chair to face the screen and Loki pressed on play.


	17. Chapter 17

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: smut.

By the time the movie finished, both Amber and Loki had fallen asleep. Bucky shook his head at the sight. He should have known this would happen. One pumped with pain meds and the other easily exhausted, and had barely slept the night before. He got up and went over to the couch, grabbed the thin sheet he used as a blanket the previous night and threw it over Amber. Then went to Loki’s bed and brought it down to a horizontal position and pulled the thin blanket over him. He felt like a father taking care of his kids, which, in Amber’s case, would have probably been true. He could even be her grandfather, given their age difference. As for Loki, he never did the math on how old he would be in human years, but he knew it was something between late twenties or early thirties. Which technically also qualified him for the son/grandson title, even if Loki always claimed he’s older than all of them combined.

He turned off the TV and put the remote on the side table and carefully made his way out. He decided to go grab a bite and maybe check on Steve. No one had came to Loki’s room since Steve and Natasha today, which he was grateful for. The talk with Amber was good. All cards were put on the table and while she hadn’t completely forgiven them, they were going into this together. Just like the old days. It made him happy, in a way.

He found Vision cooking when he walked into the kitchen. The android had made cooking a hobby. He would sometimes cook so much, you could probably feed an army. Unless Wanda was with him, then she would help him with the portions.

Bucky greeted the android and headed for the fridge, taking out some bread, sliced cheese and some ham. He made himself a sandwich, didn’t even bother with adding butter. He put the rest back into the fridge and sat down at the kitchen island to eat while watching Vision cook.

“How is Loki doing?” Vision asked, stirring whatever was in the pot. Bucky couldn’t see from where he was sitting.

“Good so far. He’s been awake since noon. Now sleeping.”

“Good to know.” Vision nodded.

Bucky’s phone buzzed at that moment, so he took it out and saw he had a message from Michelle. 

_“Hey Bucky, any idea where boss might be? She’s not answering her phone and I’m worried.”_

Amber was going to feel guilty when she hears about this. Bucky figured she simply didn’t think of letting Michelle know she wouldn’t be going to work.

_“She’s here. Thought she already messaged you. Loki had surgery. Might stay with him a few days. Will tell her to call you.”_ He typed and pressed send. A few seconds later came the reply.

_“Okay, hope he gets better soon. Thanks! See ya!”_

He pocketed his phone and continued eating. Whatever Vision was cooking smelled good. And despite being already in process of munching on his sandwich, he was counting on a full dish of whatever it was in that pot. He didn’t need to know a name or what the ingredients were, so he didn’t ask. Someone will do during dinner and he’ll get to hear it. No need to do it multiple times.

Wanda walked into the kitchen, greeting them both and going over to Vision, looking into the pot before giving him a loving smile, which he returned in same. Bucky watched in silence as he finished his sandwich. He got up, with the promise of coming back for dinner and went to his room.

He decided on the way that he’ll just go take a long shower to wash off the exhaustion of the day before. His hair was in desperate need of washing too. Sometimes he wondered if he should cut it short, but whenever he looked into the mirror, he figured he liked it the way it was. Not short, but not quite reaching his shoulders either. If only the upkeep wasn’t so tedious.. he wondered how women did it.

He walked into the bathroom, discarded his clothes into the laundry basket and walked into the shower cabin. One of the perks of staying at the compound was having a separate shower cabin and a bathtub in a single bathroom. He turned the knob and stood under the spray of warm water and let it just wash over his hair and body before he grabbed his shower gel and a sponge to start washing himself properly.

The sensation of the steamy water always had a calming effect on him. It took his mind off of things. So much that he didn’t hear the soft click of the bathroom door closing as she walked in. Nor did he notice clothes being thrown into a pile on the floor. Nor did he hear the gasp when she inhaled deeply, the sight being a turn on for her as the water dripped down his hair and over his perfectly defined back.

He only turned around when he felt movement close to him as the door to the shower cabin opened and a cool breeze of air tickled at his skin. He turned around, knowing exactly who it was and smiled. He stepped aside to make space for her, even though she was petite enough to not need any of the extra space. She stepped under the water, letting it wash over her hair and body as she closed her eyes and dropped her head back. Once she opened her eyes, she looked at him with a little smile as she bit her bottom lip.

He took her into his arms. Metal hand behind the back of her neck, while the other cupped her ass. He leaned down and caught her lips in a heated kiss. Their lips parted, allowing tongues to search and explore, to dance together and against each other.

He then picked her up and held her against the wall, while she wrapped her legs around him, never breaking the kiss. His arms gripped around her tighter as he pressed himself against her. Her arms were wrapped around his neck, holding on tightly as she sucked on his bottom lip, causing him to moan and grind against her parted legs. Nobody knew about them, which is why they didn’t get to ‘see’ each other that often. This made their time alone together more intense and their carnal desires harder to fight.

She brought one hand between them, guiding him into her and rolled her hips against his. He gasped at the friction as he slid effortlessly into her and started to thrust slowly, steadily, rolling his hips against her every now and then, which seemed to have a desired effect on her as she moaned against his lips and moved her hips to meet his thrusts.

She arched her back against the wall, breaking their kiss to let out a moan as she came, her body shivering against his and she held on to him for dear life. He took the momentum to suck at the base of her neck, just above her collarbone as he started thrusting harder, faster. She let her head drop onto his shoulder, biting onto his skin as the waves of orgasm washed over her. Her nails scratched against the skin on his back, leaving red marks behind, though not breaking skin. His breaths came out as short puffs as his own orgasm built up rapidly. She brought a hand to the back of his head, grabbing a fistful of hair as she brought their lips back together. He pressed her tightly against the wall as came inside of her, moaning into her mouth as his own body convulsed with each wave of blissful release.

His thrusts slowed down until they came to a halt. He slid out of her and she brought her legs down while he held her steadily. They continued kissing while the warm sprays of the shower washed them over.

When they broke the kiss, Bucky dipped his head to her shoulder, placing small kisses along her collarbone and she let him. She pressed her body against his as they stood under the shower, not a care in the world but them.

After a while he pulled his head back to look into her eyes as water ran down her face. He brushed her hair off her face and they smiled at each other. This felt good. It felt right. He placed a soft peck over her lips before they washed each other in silence. The only sound being heard was that of the water flowing over and around them.

Once finished, Bucky turned the water off and got out of the shower cabin. He dried himself before wrapping the towel around his waist. He took out a new set of towels out of a cabinet and handed a bigger one to her, which she took with a soft spoken thanks. He set the smaller one near the sink for later. After drying herself, she wrapped the towel around her and got out of the shower cabin to grab the smaller towel and dry her hair.

“We should do this more often,” she said with a smirk as she wrapped the towel over her head like a turban.

“You’re the one who wanted to keep it on the down low.” He smirked back. He wouldn’t mind letting everyone know about the little thing they had going. He wasn’t sure what to call it. It wasn’t a relationship, they weren’t dating. Friends with benefits? You didn’t go telling people you’re sleeping with a friend. Casually sleeping together? Not right, either. Deep down, he didn’t need to give it a name and he respected her choice of keeping it private. No one needed to know, not even his closest friends.

She picked up her clothes and walked towards the bedroom, setting them on his bed. She continued drying herself before she started getting dressed. He followed her, walking over to the dresser to get a new set of boxers and some pants. He put those on and walked over to the closet and chose a long sleeved shirt and put it on, pulling the sleeves up to his elbows.

“I’ll go dry my hair.” She said once she was done getting dressed.

“Tasha,” she stopped and turned to him as he called her.

“Yes?”

“Would you want to.. I don’t know.. go out some time?”

She gave it a thought. He was asking her out. Did she want to turn this into more than what it already was? Maybe. Would she? She didn’t know. They would become a liability for each other if the wrong parties found out. Not that they weren’t targets every now and then anyway. But without a solid attachment to each other, they were difficult to be distracted from a mission. Emotions wouldn’t get in the way. She had seen first hand what emotions do to a relationship when one of them was in danger. Loki and Amber being a bright example of that. Yes, sometimes it’s strength, but it can also turn into a destructive force, like it happened with them. Would she want to risk that?

“I’ll think about it.” She gave him a smile as she walked back into the bathroom and grabbed the hair dryer.

Bucky sat down at the edge of the bed, towel drying his hair while Natasha used the hair dryer. 

-*-*-*-*-*-

They left his room separately, as to not alert anyone of their meeting. Natasha left first, heading first to her room before joining everyone for dinner. Bucky took his time, just for the sake of putting some time difference between them. 

As he walked into the living room, everyone was around the dining table, eating. They saved a seat for him, which he declined. He needed to go back to med bay. He’d have dinner with Amber and Loki, like they always did.

Vision got up from his seat, though he didn’t need to eat he always joined them at the table. He beckoned Bucky to follow him into the kitchen, where he had already prepared the trio’s share of dinner to be taken.

“I figured you would want to eat with them. So I put this aside.” He picked up a tray filled with two bowls, one filled with stew and the other with rice. Bucky didn’t recognize the stew, though it smelled amazing.

“What is this? It smells good.” He asked, taking the tray from the android.

“Chicken coconut curry, it appears to be a Thai recipe.” Vision replied. He liked experimenting with world cuisine.

“Awesome. I’ll grab us plates and stuff from med bay. Thanks, man.” Bucky said.

“You’re welcome. Please give my regards to Amber and Loki. I will visit soon.”

“Will do.”

Bucky returned to Loki’s room with the food tray. As he walked in, he saw Loki was awake, watching Amber as she slept on the couch. He put the tray on the overbed table and pulled it over the bed, almost to the middle. Then he went back out and grabbed a set of three plates and utensils from the kitchenette and came back. Loki turned to look at him with an amused smile on his face.

“Did you cook?” 

“You want to get poisoned or something?” Bucky chuckled. While he could fry an egg, anything more than that would end up in the trash. Either burnt or because it tasted so horrible you wouldn’t even wish it upon your worst enemies. “Vision was experimenting a new recipe. Says it’s Thai chicken coconut curry.”

“Smells good.” Loki smiled, he always preferred Vision’s cooking to the food they had at med bay. He then turned his gaze to Amber. “Should we wake her or let her sleep?”

“I’d suggest we wake her, so she would eat with us. But then, she wouldn’t sleep after. So let’s let her sleep a bit more.” Bucky replied and started scooping rice into a plate, then put some of the stew next to it. He set a spoon on top and pushed the table close to Loki so he could start eating.

“Thank you.” Loki mumbled and waited for Bucky to fill his own place and start eating before he did.

They ate in silence, savouring the taste of the warm food. It wasn’t as spicy as Bucky had anticipated from a Thai dish. It was the perfect mix of spices that complimented one’s palate instead of leaving a burning sensation that crawled up into your skull, like some dishes did.

By the time Amber woke up, Loki and Bucky had finished their dinner and were watching a random show on TV. She turned around, laying on her side to face them, but not getting up just yet. They turned to look at her, Bucky waving at her with a smile. She groaned with a frown and pulled the blanket, that she didn’t remember being on her earlier, over her head, pulling her legs to her chest.

“Time to get up, sleeping beauty. It’s almost nine.” Bucky said, amusement in his voice.

Amber sat up with a jolt. “Why did you let me sleep so long?!” she scowled and pushed the blanket off of her. “Now I’ll be up all night!”

Bucky and Loki looked at each other, grinning at her misery. She huffed and got up, rubbing her eyes before she remembered the state of her hands and abruptly tucked them into her pockets. “I need to see Tony. Be back later.” She slipped into her shoes and walked out of the room to go find Tony or just grab her photostatic veils from the lab.

“Isn’t there anything we can do about her discomfort?” Loki asked, looking at the door to the room.

“Not really sure. She seems okay about it when it’s me or Tony.” Bucky replied, running a hand through his hair to brush a loose strand off his face. “I know she is pretty touchy about it around others, never thought it would happen around you.”

“And I’ve even seen the extent of the damage.” Loki’s voice was calm and calculating. He wondered why she would feel so self-conscious about her scars around him. Then he figured it out.. most likely. They separated on bad terms. _Very_ bad terms. Then they hadn’t spoken for almost a year, and now that things might be getting better... no, he was sure they were getting better, no ‘might’ in there, she would be looking at it as him being on the outer circle of her comfort zone and will probably take some time for him to make into the inner circle. He wanted to be in the inner circle, along with Bucky and apparently Stark. It was unfair, Loki thought. She didn’t trust him enough to be fully comfortable around him, it seemed. Or at least, that’s the impression he had gotten.

A few minutes later Amber came back, her mood significantly better. She grabbed the remains of the food off the overbed table at Loki’s bed and went to warm them up in the kitchenette down the hallway. A moment later she returned with steam coming off of the food, placed the bowls on the table and hopped onto the foot of the bed and pulled the table close to her.

“You’re suddenly in a good mood.” Bucky leaned back into his chair, amused. Loki was sitting cross-legged and is looking at her sceptically. 

She waves a scar-free hand at them while her attention is fully onto the bowl in front of her, stirring the stew with her other hand.

“Kid, what would it take to get it through your thick skull that it’s okay?” Bucky’s tone was light, caring. He really wished she could feel comfortable in her own skin, scarred or not. “It’s not going to change how we feel about you, you know?”

“No, it only changes how I feel about me, so..” she shrugged and scooped up some rice. She hated how she looked. Period. It was only out of necessity that Tony and Bucky had even gotten to see her scars. One was taking care of her during recovery and the other designed the veils for her. If it wasn’t for that, she would never be around them without cover, ever.

“Besides,” she continued, after swallowing a piece of chicken meat, “Tony’s almost done with the new gloves.” She smiled and put some rice into her mouth. “Mhh, this is so good!” she said with her mouth full.

Loki scrunched his nose and looked at her with raised eyebrows. “You’re being odd.” He noted. She was way too chirpy than a few minutes ago that it rose suspicion.

“I’m comfortable.” She wiggled her eyebrows at him as she continued eating.

Loki looked at Bucky with concern. The latter had a similar look on his face. Something was off. Amber was never this happy-go-lucky. Yes, she had a bubbly personality down there somewhere, but never so random like this.

Loki closed his eyes and leaned back. He subtly signed to Bucky with one hand that he’s contacting Wanda. Telepathy being one of his powers, though rarely used, he decided Amber is behaving too odd to not wonder what happened during the few minutes she went to see Stark.

Wanda was reading a book when she felt a nudge in her mind. She set the book aside and concentrated. It was Loki. Frowning, she thought first not to let him in, but then he must have had a very good reason to call for her, because he usually refrained from telepathy, especially around her.

_“What do you want?”_

_“A favour. Can you check on Stark? Amber went to see him earlier. See if there had been anything odd there.”_

_“Is she okay?”_

_“We’re not sure. She seems.. too happy. Even Barnes thinks it’s odd.”_

“Aww, Loki’s falling asleep again.” Amber grinned as she chewed on her food.

Bucky was getting restless, but didn’t let it show. He wondered what had gotten into her. It’s not like she had gotten a full pot of coffee within the few minutes she went to see Stark. What could possibly get her to hyper all of a sudden? He didn’t even dare to move, as to not raise suspicion on her part. Was she compromised? But how? If there was a threat, FRIDAY would have alerted them by now.

Wanda went straight to the lab, but Tony wasn’t there. She looked around and saw an open and empty box on his desk. One of those you’d put gloves in. Not thinking anything of it, she figured she could ask FRIDAY.

“FRIDAY, where is Tony?”

“Mr. Stark is in his workshop. Though he had asked not to be disturbed.”

“Well, tell him to come here. There seems to be reason for worry.”

FRIDAY goes silent for a moment then comes back. “Mr. Stark will be there in a moment.”

Wanda started pacing while she waited for Tony to come. While there was nothing wrong with Amber being happy, it’s the way Loki said it that felt like something serious was going on. Also, why would he contact her telepathically and not through FRIDAY?

Tony came as soon as he could and found Wanda pacing back and forth in the lab. “What’s wrong?”

“Loki contacted me, telepathically, says Amber is behaving too happy. Says even Bucky thinks it’s weird.”

“Two masters in brooding think someone being happy is weird?” Tony was sure they were exaggerating, but wanted to make sure things were okay, just in case. Just then he spotted the empty box on his desk. “Who did that?” he pointed at it.

“Was there when I got here.” Wanda said, shrugging.

“Boss, agent Bishop came to the lab not long ago, to get her photostatic veils.” FRIDAY chimed in.

“Did she seem off to you, FRI?” he scratched at his chin as he tried to figure this out.

“There was a slight spike in her vitals after putting on the veils, but nothing alarming. She left immediately after.”

“A spike, you say? Could you scan her right now, make it discreet. Wanda, tell Loki we’re checking it.”

Wanda nodded, mentally sending the message to Loki.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Back in the recovery room, Loki slowly opened his eyes, as if he was waking up. He kept his gaze on Amber, who was finishing her food, and signed to Bucky that Tony’s working on it.

One of FRIDAY’s camera’s in a corner moved slightly, catching Bucky’s attention. Stark was watching.

As Amber finished eating gingerly, she tossed her fork unceremoniously on the table and pushed it away from her. Then she leaned back against the foot board of the bed and looked at Bucky, as if studying him.

Bucky simply looked back at her, uneasiness showing on his face. He wasn’t sure what was going on and he was concerned about her. If she was somehow compromised, he needed to do something. Though with Loki in the room, relatively fresh out of surgery, he wouldn’t want to risk getting his wound opened up again either.

Amber clicked her tongue as she watched Bucky carefully. Then she hopped off the bed and stretched her back. “You know,” she started, bending side to side at an angle Bucky was sure she wouldn’t normally be able to do because of the massive scar on her torso, “I’ve been _longing_ for some _rusted_ relics. Something to cool down the _furnace_ burning inside of me. Maybe then I’d catch a _daybreak_. Maybe _seventeen_ of them would do.” She was emphasizing certain words in her speech, every one of them directed at Bucky.

He soon realized what she was doing, and stood up, panic rising within him. “Amber, stop! Stop it!”

“Barnes..” Loki sat up straight, looking between the both of them.

“It might seem _benign_ , but _nine_ days ago I had a revelation.” She continued on, ignoring Bucky’s plead.

“She’s trying to reactivate the Winter Soldier. FRIDAY alert Stark!” Bucky yelled and charged at Amber, who simply blocked him by grabbing his throat. Bucky’s eyes shot wide open in shock. She was not strong enough to do that! Not before and especially not now! “A.. Amber.. s-stopp..” he tried calling her while she squeezed at his throat.

Loki tried to move and help, but she was faster. She raised her free hand and directed an open palm towards him, pinning him to the bed. Magic? That can’t be right! Loki struggled to move, but he was being held down by invisible shackles. She didn’t even bother to look at him as her focus was on Bucky.

Bucky was struggling to get her hand off her throat. He didn’t know she had this much strength in her. If he had any doubts, now he was certain she was somehow compromised. He grabbed her arm with both hands, wanting to get her off of him, but at the same time he knew he could easily break it if he applied enough pressure with his metal arm and he didn’t want that. Hitting her on the head might seem an option, knocking her out would shut her up. So he tried. “I’m.. sorry..” he managed to breathe out and threw a punch at her temple. She snapped her head sideways from the force of the punch, but it didn’t seem to have an effect as she simply turned to face him again, a devilish grin on her face.

“It felt like _homecoming_ , with only _one_ person in mind. One that fell off a _freight-_ ”

She was interrupted when the door burst open and Iron Man flew in, yelling “Vatican cameos!” before firing a repulsor beam at Amber. Upon hearing the code Bucky ducked out of the way and the repulsor hit Amber square in the chest and sent her toppling over. 

Wanda rushed in soon after, her hands glowing red as she went directly for Amber, who lay unconscious on the floor. She weaved her magic around her head, carefully binding her mind before trying to fight whatever was controlling her.

“You okay, buddy?” Iron Man landed next to Bucky, his faceplate retracted and he put a hand over Bucky’s back as the latter was bent over his knees, trying to catch his breath. “Fucking trigger words..” Bucky breathed out.

As Amber fell unconscious, her hold on Loki had also disappeared. Ignoring the pain in his shoulder, he quickly got off the bed and rushed to her side. While Wanda was working on her mind to keep her unconscious, he worked on her body, hovering his hand, palm down, over her as he examined any physical changes. Everything seemed normal until he reached her arms. His hands started glowing and he gasped.

“It’s her covers..” he breathed. “We need to take them off.”

“What do you mean it’s her covers?” Tony asked, “You mean the veils? Can’t be!”

“There’s magic in them, Stark!”

“Fucking Doom.” Bucky cursed and went to pick Amber up. He brought her to Loki’s bed and pulled the curtains around the bed to give her privacy. “Don’t even think about looking.” He glared at them before he disappeared behind the fabric.

Bucky muttered a series of curses as he took Amber’s shirt off. He kept his gaze to her arms and worked quickly to remove the veils off her arms. First one, and then the second. He looked at the bigger one on her torso and wondered if that should be removed as well. “Loki, was it only the arms?”

“Yes.” Came the reply.

Good. That one can stay, then. There was a slight bleeding under the veils covering her side, from the stretching she had done earlier, but not enough to raise worry. It happened whenever she did a wrong movement and the delicate scars would tear a bit. He put her shirt back on her and pulled a pillow under her head. Then pulled the blanket over her all the way up to her chest. He grabbed the veils and pulled the curtains open. The look on his face spoke murder. He handed the veils to Tony, glaring at him. “How did this happen?”

“Beats me. FRIDAY didn’t see anything unusual.” Tony said, then remembered the spike FRIDAY had mentioned. “She did say there was a spike in her vitals after she put on the veils. Wanda, can you check her mind for any residue of magic?”

Wanda stepped closer to Amber’s head and put her hands on either side. Red glow flowed from her fingertips in swirls as they wrapped around Amber’s head like a crown. Wanda had her eyes closed in deep concentration as she worked her magic. She could see Amber’s memories, faces, Amber working at the cafe, laughing and singing a long with Michelle. Then there were Peter and Ned. Then the images changed and she saw Amber with Bucky during a mission, during lunch or dinner, walking along a park, talking, working on her motorbike. She smiled involuntarily at those pleasant memories as she kept searching for any residue of whatever it was that was keeping her captive. Wanda saw herself in the memories. The time in Amber’s recovery room days ago, another one from way back when Wanda had just joined the team and Amber was helping her adjust. And then she saw Amber with Loki. Those memories felt private, intimate. She kept her focus on searching instead of prying on the privacy, but the memories were as vibrant as the others. They were with Bucky, laughing, talking, teasing each other. Then they were alone, watching movies, cuddling. And then Wanda’s search came against a barrier she couldn’t just penetrate. That was where Amber would be hiding her most private memories. Whether they were happy ones or painful ones, Wanda couldn’t tell. People would choose to put a barrier on several types of memories. Out of concern that the invader might be lurking behind those walls, Wanda pushed further, careful not to disturb anything in her way. Do not meddle, just observe. She saw Amber’s most painful memories. The explosion, her scars, the attack on her. Her fight with Loki after he came back from disappearance, her fight with Loki when he kissed her. And then there it was, another kiss with Loki that Amber had initiated. This one was one of the brightest memories Wanda had found. It was glowing, it was warm, it was new. She smiled again, deciding it was safe to pull herself out. She carefully recovered the wall Amber had protected her memories with, making sure every single brick was laying the same way it was when she first came to it. When working on the mind, it was important not to change anything, not even the smallest things if you didn’t want to harm the owner. Once she made sure there Amber’s mind was not being controlled anymore, Wanda pulled out completely. She opened her eyes with a soft gasp and the smile still on her face.

“She’s fine.” She said in a soft voice, gently brushing hair off of Amber’s face. And then looked at Loki, a knowing smile on her face. “She will be fine.”

Loki pursed his lips in a tight smile and nodded in acknowledgement. He suspected that she’d seen things that concerned him, and that look she gave him spoke volumes.

“Nothing to worry about then?” It was Tony who asked, finally retracting his armor into his arc reactor.

“No, she’s clear. Whatever it was, it must have only been in the veils. You need to destroy those.” Wanda pointed at the veils Tony was holding.

“Will do.”

“How long you think she’ll be out?” Bucky asked, looking at Wanda.

“Not long. Though that repulsor looked strong.” She said.

“Was just an electrical surge, nothing that would actually harm her. Just knock her out, which it did. I’m not crazy.” Tony raised a hand in defence.

“Explains the lack of a hole the size of New York on her chest.” Bucky snorted. “But thanks, man.”

“Good catch on the warning, though.”

“It does come from my time.” Bucky shrugged. “I’m more surprised you know it.”

“Pop culture.”

While the two of them were discussing where the term Vatican cameos came from, Amber stirred and slowly opened her eyes. Loki was instantly at her side and Wanda moved away to make space for Bucky to go to her other side. She stood next to Tony, watching them with fondness and maybe a little bit envy. Although, she felt she had the same with Vision. If her brother was still alive, he would be there right next to her as well.

Amber blinked a few times, trying to clear her vision. She saw two sets of worried eyes looking at her. She raised an eyebrow and tried to sit up, only to groan in the process from the massive headache and chest pain. “Why the long faces?” she said, squinting her eyes in a failed attempt to fight the headache.

“She’s back.” Bucky said, looking at Loki and grinning widely. Amber glared at him and punched him in the arm. The non-metal one. “Hey, what was that for?” he rubbed the spot where she hit him. For someone who was just knocked out by Iron Man, she packed a serious punch.

“That’s for hitting me on the head. Asshole.” She grumbled, putting her palm over the spot where Bucky had punched her earlier.

“I had to do something!”

Loki sat down on the edge of the bed, “How are you feeling?” he asked. He sounded calm, but she recognized the concern.

“Grumpy. Like someone had been in my mind.” She glared at Wanda.

“Was just checking if you were okay.” Wanda said and raised her hands in surrender, giving her an innocent smirk.

Amber pushed her hands under the blanket, to cover them. “Okay, what happened exactly? I remember snippets, feelings, like I wasn’t in control of myself.”

“You were compromised.” Bucky spoke and told her what had happened. Followed by Tony showing the footage of her leaving the lab with the veils on, tactfully skipping the beginning where she enters the lab and puts the veils on. She was thankful for that.

“Wait, I had magic? How’s that possible?” she raised an eyebrow, looking at Loki.

“Magic infused artefact, in this case the photostatic veils.” He shrugged. “Users of dark magic excel at that.”

“Fucking Doom.” She huffed. “I didn’t hurt you, did I?” When Loki shook his head, she turned to Bucky. “And you?”

“I’m good to. You did have unusual strength though.” He replied.

She leaned sideways to have a look at his neck. “Chin up.” She demanded and he obliged. “Yep, there it is. Bruising.”

“Will disappear by tomorrow.” He shrugged.

“Stupid super serum.” She mumbled, but smirked nonetheless.

“Okay, good to see you up and running, kid.” Tony spoke, “I’ll go get these checked and then get rid of them. You might want to send someone to grab your gloves for you from your place. The new ones aren’t ready yet and I don’t have any spares around here.”

“I can get them for you. And anything else that you need.” Bucky offered.

“Okay, while you do that, I’m off. See you later.” Tony said and left the room. Wanda waved at them and left as well, going back to her and Vision’s room.

“Get me a change of clothes, please. The gloves would be on the laundry rack, by the way.”

“Sure.” He leaned in and kissed her forehead. “Sorry about punching you.”

“It’s okay. Now go get me some clothes.” She grinned at him.

After Bucky had left, Amber and Loki were left alone in the room. Loki studied her for a long moment. He had questions that needed answers.


	18. Chapter 18

“Hey Dumbledore, got something for you to check on. Wanna come pick it up? Yeah, it’s on my desk.. of course at the lab.” Tony looked at the box he had on the desk, neatly sealed, as he explained to Strange on the phone what had happened earlier. He needed to understand how mind control through the veils worked and the only one who could probably help him at this moment would be the sorcerer. Loki wasn’t supposed to use his magic excessively, Wanda was not as experienced, so Strange was his only hope. “Sure, I’ll be down at my workshop, but FRIDAY will alert me once you’re here.” He saw a small portal opening over his desk and what he assumed to be Strange’s hand reaching out and grabbing the box and disappearing back where it came from. Tony’s eyebrows shot up his forehead as he watched that. “Did you just..? Well, that’s a neat trick. You should teach me. Yeah, yeah. You’re no fun. Okay, see you later.” He set his phone aside and pulled the schematics for his new suit up, typed a few lines and then got up to head back to the workshop. So much to do, no clue if they had time. But since Doom had deemed it necessary to get a hold on Amber’s mind now, it meant that he was somewhere close and active. “FRIDAY, secure the perimeter around the compound. Nothing goes in or out without my knowledge, not even a fly. Any types of energy or electricity spikes, surges, whatever, I need to know. No matter how insignificant. Doom might be around, we need to be alert. And get me Shuri on the screen down at the workshop. This Winter Soldier shit needs to stop.”

“Sure, boss.”

-*-*-*-*-*-

Amber got off the bed, against Loki’s protests and request to rest. “I’m fiiiine.” She said, almost whining since he kept insisting. “I’m not the one who lost a ton of blood recently. So shut it, and get back to bed.” She practically demanded he would get back into bed.

But Loki wouldn’t be Loki if he succumbed easily to such demands. “No. You have just lost consciousness, might even have a concussion or something. At least let them check on you? Let me check on you, for Valhalla’s sake!” She was being stubborn again, which right now was a good sign. It meant she wasn’t compromised.

“No, and no.” She scowled, going to the couch. “You, bed, now. Or else.” She pointed a finger at him as she sat down, then quickly tucked her hand into her pocket.

Loki noticed the quick hiding of the hand and sighed. His facial expression softened and he went to sit next to her. “You keep hiding your hands.” He said in a soft tone.

“Well, they are mine, I get to do whatever I want with them. And this is not the bed.” She replied, shrugging, wanting to divert the topic to anything else.

“You know I heal faster than mortals.” He raised a finger as she opened her mouth to protest, “And despite the wound in question is magically inflicted, I still heal faster than mortals. The surgically amended parts are healing well, I can feel it. And if it makes you happy, I will call for the sorcerer to see if there’s anything to be done about the stab wound. To heal it faster. Is that acceptable?”

She sighed. He had a good argument and a good compromise. “Alright, I can live with that.” She mumbled, still scowling.

“Now, why do you insist on hiding your hands when it’s only us in the room?”

“Lokiiii..” she sighed. She really didn’t want to talk about it.

“Ambeeer..” he spoke in a similar tone.

She groaned at him, dropping back against the backrest of the couch, shutting her eyes in frustration. “Please let it go. I don’t want to talk about it.”

He wasn’t going to let it go. Not today. He sat sideways, pulling his right leg up and folding it under the left one, and reached out for her, gently running the back of his knuckles over her cheek. She leaned into his touch, eyes still closed and the crease between her eyebrows prominent. He then cupped her cheek and ran his thumb over her skin. Her expression slowly softened as they sat there, and she leaned further into his touch, sighing softly.

“Why don’t you trust me?” he asked, his voice almost a whisper.

“Despite the past year, I still trust you with my life.” She opened her eyes and looked at him. “Never stopped.” She closed her eyes again. The feeling of his hand over her cheek was pleasant. “I hate looking at myself in the mirror. And if you see me like that..” she opened her eyes again, they were shining with moisture, “I don’t want to take the risk.”

“You do know I’ve seen your wounds before, don’t you? I carried you out of the rubble.” he smiled softly, pained at the memory of that day. He had been around at the beginning, right after the explosion. He’d seen the extent of the damage. He’d seen the medics operate on her, treat the burns, change bandages.

“It’s not visible when you’re covered in blood and dirt.” She pointed out.

“I saw it after as well, while they were treating you.”

“You have a response to everything I say. It’s annoying.” She smirked.

“They do call me Silvertongue, after all.” He said in a low, husky voice, smirking back at her. It made the hair at the back of her neck stand.

She turned her face, closed her eyes and placed a soft kiss into his palm that was still cupping her cheek. He leaned forward, moving his hand to the back of her neck as he brushed his lips against hers, kissing her gently. It sent shivers down her spine as she kissed him back.

He leaned his forehead against hers after breaking the kiss, his eyes closed. “It pains me that you cannot be comfortable around me.”

“It pains me too, Loki.”

“May I suggest an alternative?”

“You can try.”

“It would be uncomfortable for you to go about the day with your hands in your pockets. How about we start with those? Taking things slowly? And when you feel more comfortable about it, I would want to see it all.” He pulled his face away from her to look her in the eyes, a warm smile gracing his lips.

Amber looked at him, contemplating, thinking about his suggestion. She then looked at her pockets. It did feel uncomfortable to be sitting there with her hands tucked in. It felt like she was tied up. But what if she took her hands out and she saw pity in his eyes? Or disgust? Or repulsion? What if it makes him look at her differently? Though she remembered him mentioning long ago that on Asgard, scars acquired from battles were worn as a medal of honour. Was their mission considered a battle? Can she ever look at her scars and think ‘medal of honour’? Her other scars, maybe, but those? She wasn’t sure.

But maybe it was worth a shot? She had taken so many risks in life, what is one more, right? If it backfires, then it wasn’t meant to be. They weren’t meant to be. Sighing, she nodded. Maybe giving it a chance was worth the revelation it would bring.

She turned to the side so she was now facing him as well. Keeping her gaze down on her lap, she slowly pulled her shaking hands out of her pockets and instinctively pulled the sleeves over them before she put them over her thighs for him to look.

Loki first looked at her, smiling gently and leaned in, putting his hand under her chin to raise her face. “I’m proud of you.” He said and leaned in, kissing her lips gently one more time. Then he turned his gaze to her hands. He ran his hand over a sleeved one, then he took his slinger off, to free his other arm. He needed both hands for this, and it wasn’t going to be anything strenuous, so it was alright.

He held her hand with his left one, and pulled her sleeve up to her wrist with his right one. Amber had closed her eyes and was breathing slowly, anticipating a gasp or a curse, but none came. Instead, her hand was gently put back over her thigh and he moved to do the same with the other one.

Once both hands freed of the confines of her sleeves, he took both of them in his. He ran his fingers over the delicate, glossy wrinkles. The raised scars looked pink, with patches of white at the depressed skin. They felt soft, as if they would easily tear if one applied some pressure. Amber watched him marvel at her hands like they were the most precious thing in the world. His face held no visible emotions as he kept it neutral, but she recognized that look of his and knew his mind was in a whirlwind. Her eyes followed his every movement and felt her heart skip a beat as he brought her hands up and placed a soft kiss on the back of each. Then gently he placed her hands back on her thighs and looked at her with a gentle smile on his face. The same one she had seen him give her many times before in the privacy of either of their rooms. There was no judgement there. No pity, no disgust. There was only him.

It was that moment when she realized it. Her feelings for him were not that of liking someone or deeply caring for them, no. It was not of friendship or comradery either. It was love. She had fallen in love with him long before she had acquired those scars. Long before she had allowed him back into her life after their time apart. She had never stopped loving him, and she couldn’t imagine she would ever will.

She brought a trembling hand up to his face and cupped his cheek, leaning forward to kiss him on the lips. He leaned in, inhaling her scent as he put a hand over her waist and placed the other over hers, which was still on her thigh. The kiss was gentle, she felt like she was walking on air. The way his lips connected to hers was pure magic. Her lips felt warm against his cool ones. Like day and night complimenting each other. The caress of his lips was so soft, Amber couldn’t help but open her mouth with a soft moan, inviting him in.

Their foreheads leaned against each other after the kiss ended, both of their breaths shaky and fast. Loki placed a tender kiss on her forehead before he sat up straight. He wrapped his left arm back into the slinger as to not strain his shoulder any further. Amber had her hand over his thigh and watched him attach the slinger back into place.

“Thank you.” She whispered, as if afraid someone else would hear.

“Whatever for?” he looked at her, putting his free hand over hers that was on his thigh.

“For not judging.”

“I would never. Not to you.”

The door opened at that moment and Bucky walked in. Amber leaned to the side to look at him across Loki, and Loki turned around in his seat.

“Hey you two. Everything ok?” Bucky walked over to them, handing Amber her gloves and saw Loki’s hand covering hers over his thigh. “I see those weren’t needed after all.” He smiled at her.

“They are needed and you know it.” She said with a smile. “But we talked.” She turned to look at Loki, her feelings shining through her eyes. “And we’re good.”

Bucky smiled fondly at how the both of them were looking at each other. There was something going on there and it wasn’t just about her feeling comfortable enough around Loki to have her hands out of her pockets sans cover. And he was curious to know, but he decided to leave it for another time. One of them will be telling him about it soon enough anyway. “I’m happy for the both of you.” He finally said.

“Thank you.” Loki replied, smiling at his friend. “It means a lot.”

“Okay, Mister,” Amber tapped at Loki’s leg. “It’s bed time for you. You’re still recovering.”

Loki rolled his eyes and then chuckled. It was past midnight by now, but he was wide awake. He felt like he was on cloud nine and wouldn’t be able to sleep even if he tried to. But he obeyed. He got up and practically dragged himself to the bed, just for the sake of protesting it. 

“You take the couch.” Bucky told Amber. “I need to go see Tony for a bit. Save some space for me though.” He needed to get some information about the contaminated veils. He was sure Tony wouldn’t sleep until he had answers and neither would he.

“Sure.”

“Barnes, let us know if you find out anything.” Loki requested as he settled in bed.

“Will do.” Bucky gave him a nod and went to see Tony at his workshop.

Amber fluffed up the pillow after Bucky left and put it on the side of the couch, then grabbed the blanket and lay it over the seat. “We should really arrange a room with three beds, just for us.” She said, turning to look at Loki for a moment before she turned her attention back to fixing her temporary bed.

“Or one with two beds. You can share mine.” He cocked his head sideways as he looked at her when she turned around once more.

“That is an idea.” She smirked at him and turned back to finish fixing the bed. Bucky could have the couch, she decided right then. She grabbed her gloves and walked over to Loki’s bed. “Scoot over.”

He wasn’t about to question it and moved aside, giving her enough space to join him. She climbed into bed and sat next to him, laying the gloves on her lap.

“You don’t need to put them on, at least not for tonight.” He whispered. “But only if you feel comfortable about it.”

She kept looking at the gloves for a moment and then nodded. “They can stay off for the night.” She lay them on the bed side table and snuggled close to him, letting out a content sigh. He wrapped his arm around her, pulling her closer and kissing the top of her head. 

They lay there in silence, enjoying each other’s company. Amber lay on her side, her head resting over Loki’s right shoulder and her hand, while slightly trembling, resting over his chest. Neither of them could sleep. What seemed to be an ordinary day meant for recovery, had an unexpected turn of events in the evening. And while none was harmed, it had left them all with questions. The one topping the list was: how did Doom manage to get so close to the compound unnoticed. If he had tampered with FRIDAY, she would have alerted them. If HELEN was compromised, FRIDAY would have known as well. He had a way in, but so far they couldn’t figure out what it was.

And Doom had made it personal. He was using her to get to the men she loved. She was not going to let him get away with it.

“Loki?” she whispered.

“Yes?”

“When you or Bucky get Doom, I want a turn.”

Loki smiled, wrapping his arm tighter around her shoulder. “It will be my pleasure.”

-*-*-*-*-*-

Bucky got to Tony’s workshop and stood at the glass doors waiting to be let in. The workshop was the only place at the compound that one needed permission to enter. Only Pepper and Rhodey were excluded from that rule.

Once Tony noticed Bucky standing there, he waved him in and FRIDAY unlocked the door. Bucky looked around, taking in any changes that might have happened since the last time he was in here, which was quite a while ago, but there was nothing other than the usual organized mess. Shelves on the walls, countertops lined up next to each other against the walls on one side, and on the other there was a worn couch and next to it an arm chair. Before them an old wooden coffee table, stained with what seemed like old coffee or grease. There were empty takeout boxes on it, and half a bottle of Scotch. Tony had a glass in hand, two ice cubes and half full of the golden liquid. He swirled his glass as he looked at the chest piece he was working on.

“Drinking on the job, I see.” Bucky said, walking over to him.

“The only way I can work these days.” Tony shrugged, picking up a screwdriver and loosening a bolt. “Used to be coffee, but I figured I needed something stronger.”

“I know the feeling.” Bucky sighed.

“How are the power couple doing?” He put the screwdriver away and turned to look at Bucky.

“Reconciled.”

“Hopefully not like the last time.” Tony turned his attention to the holo screen to his side and started swiping away the suit schematics.

“It’s on her terms now. So I think they’re good.”

“Good. That’s good.” 

“Got anything on the veils?” Bucky asked, leaning against a table. He was a man on a mission. Doom had targeted him and Amber twice now within less than a month and he didn’t feel like sitting idly waiting until something comes up. It was time for action.

“Waiting on word from Strange. FRIDAY is working on finding any breach that might have happened at any given moment during the past month. I still can’t figure out how the fucker did it.” Tony was agitated by the fact that someone managed to get so close to them without him knowing about it. “I also talked to Shuri, she’s sending over some equipment for you.”

“For me?”

“Since Doom managed to crack whatever she used on you the last time, she thought it best to get you an upgrade. Something that Wanda will be able to operate.”

“I see.” Bucky nodded, not really feeling comfortable by the prospect of having to go through the procedure of removing the Winter Soldier programming once more, but it was needed.

“FRIDAY told me at some point you went dark in the recovery room. Care to explain?”

“How good is your sign language?”

“Not that good, but I can understand a bit.”

“Secure the workshop.”

“FRIDAY, you heard the man.”

Once FRIDAY did, Bucky explained to Tony, using sign language, what he and Loki had talked about and also about their agreement with Strange. Tony was impressed by the idea and found it a pity he hadn’t thought of it himself. He agreed to set up a meeting with all the team members as soon as possible. Basically, as soon as Strange gets back to him about the veils.

Tony would be handling informing everyone. Bucky would do best to do some more research on where they would need to start the offline search. They also needed to figure out how to get Loki fully functional, since they were dealing with magic, and of the two magical people residing at the compound, he was the most experienced.

-*-*-*-*-*-

After Bucky was done talking and planning with Tony, he went back to Loki’s recovery room. When he got there, the lights were dimmed and he saw Amber snuggling against Loki and both of them asleep. It was almost three in the morning, so he went straight for the couch and lay down, hoping to catch up on some sleep.

It was around seven o’clock when he woke up, sleep still clinging to his mind as he slowly sat up. He should probably try to sleep earlier next time, or maybe try to steal a nap at some point during the day. Bucky rubbed his eyes and stretched his neck. The couch wasn’t the most comfortable to sleep on with the muscular built he had, and especially not when your body just demanded some proper eight hour sleep.

He let his legs drop to the floor as he turned to sit up straight, covering his mouth as a yawn escaped him. He looked at his friends, Loki was awake and watching Amber’s sleeping form curled up next to him. He still had his arm around her, as if protecting from any outside influence.

“Morning,” Bucky said, standing up and stretching his back.

“Morning,” Loki’s reply was soft, almost a whisper as to not wake Amber up.

“Coffee?”

“Please.”

“Find me some dark roast.” Amber suddenly mumbled, rubbing her nose onto Loki’s chest. She hadn’t realized he didn’t have any shirt on, other than the bandage around his shoulder on the other side and the slinger handing from it. She smirked lightly and as she placed a soft kiss against the cool skin before she opened her eyes and looked up into his green ones. “Hey.” She lifted her chin up and Loki dipped his head down and brushed his lips against hers in a soft peck. His hand lazily caressing her upper arm.

“Hey,” he said softly.

Bucky nodded to himself in approval, a smile tugging at the corner of his lips. It was about time these two got their shit sorted out. He went and grabbed them coffee, all black, all dark roast. He definitely needed the caffeine kick to wake him up after the short sleep he’d gotten. Even on a mission he’d try to squeeze in as many hours as possible, unless he has to stay awake, then he’d figure something out. Mostly in the form of caffeine, but adrenaline helps along the way. Right now, though? Just caffeine would suffice. He was not on a mission, well, technically he was, but he was bound to others on this one. He was waiting for word from Tony once Strange had gotten back to him.

As he stood in front of the coffee machine, waiting for the dark liquid to fill up a cup, he realized something. He hadn’t seen Sam for a while and the guy was usually everywhere! He wondered where he had disappeared. In fact, he hadn’t seen him ever since they came back from the warehouse.

He put the coffee cups on a little tray and took them back to the room. Loki was sitting up on the bed, while Amber was not there. 

“Where’s Amber?” Bucky asked, walking over to the coffee table and setting the tray on top. He then grabbed the blanket he had used, folded it and set it over the pillow to the side of the couch, out of the way.

Loki got off the bed and went to the couch. “Bathroom, putting on the gloves.”

“Here.” Bucky handed Loki his coffee, which he took with a nod. “It’s good that she’s feeling more comfortable.”

“Thanks. And indeed.” Loki said, taking a sip. “She was worried about it, still is. So, baby steps, as Midgardians would say.”

“Baby steps is good.” Bucky agreed. He pulled a chair opposite from the couch and sat down, grabbing his cup of coffee. “And what was that I saw just before I went to get the coffee?” he grinned.

Loki mirrored the grin and shrugged. “Baby steps.” He said.

“I feel like I should give both of you a brotherly talk or something.” Bucky chuckled. He really felt like an older brother to both of them.

“Brotherly talk?” Amber came to join them, her gloves on and hoodie sleeves pulled up to her elbows. She went to sit on the couch, next to Loki and grabbed her coffee. It felt good to be able to hold a cup without her hands shaking.

“For kissing you earlier.” Loki said and leaned in to kiss her temple.

“Ah, I see.” She smirked.

“Yeah.” Bucky smiled fondly. “But honestly, I’m happy for you guys.”

“Thanks.” They both replied in unison, looked at each other and giggled.

It had been a while since the three of them shared morning coffee together. It felt good. Despite what might lay ahead of them through the day, it was nice to have a calm start into it with just them.

They also had breakfast in the room, with Vision making and bringing it himself. He didn’t join them though, for the reason that he was preparing breakfast in bed for Wanda. Today he was in an English Breakfast mood, so that was what they had gotten.

By the time they finished breakfast it was nine o’clock. Amber asked FRIDAY to send a message to Michelle that she won’t be at the cafe today and to apologize to her. FRIDAY relayed the message promptly and a few seconds later came the reply ‘take care, boss,’ which Amber appreciated.

The doctor came to check on Loki later in the morning. He was doing much better than expected, and while he wanted to be discharged, the doctor had decided to keep him a few more days, given the extent of the surgery he had undergone. Loki was adamant on trying to convince the old man that he was healing as normally as possible. Even the stab wound was showing signs of improvement. But the doctor simply refused to agree to that. He was to take it easy, stay in bed, or at least not leave the room if he was moving around, keep pressure off the left arm and shoulder. To say the least, Loki was getting irritated.

“I have been stuck in this retched part of the compound far too long!” he yelled at nothing in particular, though Amber and Bucky were in the room. He was pacing back and forth, tempted to get the slinger off and throw it at something. “I’m healing, I know I am! And staying cooped up in here will not speed up the process!”

“You know what would also not speed up the process?” Amber said, crossing her legs as she sat on the couch, he turned to glare at her. “That pacing you’re doing. Come sit your ass down before you bust a stich by just thinking of it.” Her tone was firm, though the pat she lay on the couch right next to her was a soft one.

“I don’t want to sit.” He huffed, continuing to pace back and forth.

Amber looked at Bucky and he nodded. She needed to be alone with the God for a while. Some things were best discussed when they were alone, even though Bucky was one of them. The soldier simply got up and mumbled something about needing to see Tony and left.

“FRIDAY, don’t let anyone into the room without informing us first.” Amber said and got up. The AI dimmed the windows and locked the doors to outsiders, though the two of them were not locked in.

She walked over to stand in his way, bringing him to a halt. He looked at her, agitation in his eyes as he breathed quickly. She didn’t say anything and simply snaked her arms around his waist and put her cheek against his chest. Despite his irritation, he wrapped his free arm around her shoulders and grabbed the fabric at the back of her hoodie in a tight fist. He then inclined his head and brought his lips to plant a kiss on top of her head, before he rested his cheek over it and closed his eyes. They simply stood there for a while, without saying anything.

“I might have an idea, you know.” She said softly, finally breaking the silence.

“Hmm?”

“Didn’t you once tell me Asgard had great healers and some of them are now on New Asgard?”

“Mhmm..”

“Well?” she pulled her head back and looked up to him expectantly.

“I.. have not thought of that.” He admitted. He was so used to living at the compound as one of the Avengers, that seeking assistance from New Asgard from any other than Thor for Avengers business or personal advice didn’t even occur to him.

Asgardian healers were known to be one of the best in the Nine Realms. And while their massive library and inventory had been destroyed during Ragnarok, the healers themselves, at least the ones that hadn’t perished at the hands of his sister, were now safely living at their new home.

Maybe he should consider asking for their assistance. If there was anyone who could speed up a wound inflicted by the Silver Dagger, it would be Eir and her team of healers. Loki could kick himself for not thinking of this sooner. And while he was at it, he would kick Thor as well. No, he would stab him for not thinking of it either.


	19. Chapter 19

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A bit of a long chapter here. Enjoy!

After a long shouting fest between two brothers, they finally came to the agreement that Loki was to go to New Asgard for his treatment. He resented the idea. He wanted the healers to come to him instead. He would have to stay in New Asgard for a few days. He simply didn’t want to leave Amber so soon after their reconciliation. Not that he would admit to that, of course. He told Thor that his own bed at the compound was more comfortable and better suited for recovery.

Thor was resilient and insisted that Loki goes to New Asgard. Eir and her team were the only healers there. She would need her whole team to work on Loki’s injury, and it was not a good idea to have all of them leave the village at the same time and leaving them without any medical help for a few days, even if Asgardians didn’t really need any extensive medical assistance nowadays due to the lack of battles. And even f it was for the Crown Prince.

Loki grumbled at his brother’s image on the monitor his was using for video communication before he finished the call. He shut the laptop with force, which made him wince and immediately opened it to check for any damage. The device belonged to Bucky and he’d have his head if something happened to it. Thankfully, it seemed to be intact. He closed it again, this time more gently, and set it aside to return it when Bucky came back. He hadn’t seen the soldier that day at all. Amber was absent as well. She had needed to go to the cafe that day to take care of business, as she called it. But she had promised to come back. So Loki was left to his own devices and was pacing the room again.

Stark would take care of getting him to New Asgard on one of his jets. Though Loki figured he could try teleporting. But the risk was too high to attempt it with the magical wound over his chest. Maybe the wizard can help with that?

“FRIDAY, could you lay a message for me to the wizard?”

“Sure, mr. Odinson.”

“Please ask him if he can portal me to New Asgard tomorrow by noon.”

“Done. Will notify you of his reply once it’s in.”

“Thank you.”

“You’re welcome, mr. Odinson.”

He resumed pacing again. The stay in this room was tedious and he hated it. Maybe he should just fuck it all and go to his own room. No one could stop him anyway. The only two people he would actually consider listening to were not there at the moment anyway, so why the hell not?

He flexed his uninjured shoulder, grabbed Bucky’s laptop and walked out of the door, taking a turn and then walking along the hallway with his head held high. As if daring anyone in his way to stop him.

The compound was uncharacteristically silent. Maybe they were on a mission or were having a meeting or whatever. If there was a mission Bucky would have mentioned something. They always told each other when one of them was going on a mission without the other, no matter how much of a secret it was.

He’ll find out soon enough anyway. He finally reached his room and opened the door. He didn’t bother with turning the lights on or pulling the curtains open. He put the laptop on his desk and headed first to the bathroom and grabbed a small towel to wash his upper half with. He couldn’t shower properly just yet because of the bandages. For the waist down he walked into the shower cabin and pulled the showerhead down and washed himself. Once done, he grabbed a bigger towel and wrapped it around his waist. He stood in front of the sink and looked at his reflection in the mirror above it. His hair desperately needed a wash. Had it been not too strenuous on his chest and shoulder, he could bend over the sink and wash his hair there. But that was not an option. He decided to wait for Amber to come back and ask her for help. He felt disgusted by the notion of seeking help for such a simple task, but he had no other option. Using magic was out of the question.

Grumbling to himself, he retreated to the room, finally turned the lights on and climbed onto his bed. He was grateful to whomever had changed the sheets. He wouldn’t have liked it if he had returned to blood stained sheets. The book he had left on the night stand a few days ago was still there. He hadn’t finished it yet, so he picked it up and opened it to the page where he had left it last. He enjoyed reading sometimes. It distracted him from the chaos building within. He will need an outlet soon, otherwise he would burst again at something, or someone. Maybe going to New Asgard wasn’t such a bad idea, after all. He could lash out at Thor, or maybe Valkyrie, or both.

He wasn’t sure if it was minutes or hours that had passed. He was too immersed in the book to notice. The soft knock on his door pulled his attention from the page he was reading. “Come in.” He said, putting the bookmark on the page he had reached and closed the book, setting it aside and sitting up straight.

A nurse walked in with a trolley being pulled behind her. “FRIDAY told us you had left. It was time for a wound check-up and change of bandages.” Her voice was so soft Loki would have totally not known she was talking had he not been looking at her. Her eyebrows went up her forehead when she noticed he only had a towel on and immediately turned her gaze to the floor.

He didn’t say anything at her surprised look and only smirked. A few years back and he might have played with her, but he wasn’t like that anymore. He simply turned to the side and let his legs drop at the edge of the bed to sit up and give her an easy access to his shoulder. “Do it fast.” There was no emotion in his voice, just forced politeness.

The nurse quickly did what she was there to do with slightly shaking hands. Being alone with the God of Mischief in a room was always scary. And the God of Mischief with only a towel around his hips? Even scarier. To her relief, Loki didn’t speak through the whole thing. He didn’t do anything either. The only sound that came from him was a sharp inhale when she lifted his arm to roll the bandage underneath. Once she was done, she put the slinger back in place and secured his arm inside. She took her gloves off and gave him a scared but friendly smile. “All done. I hope you feel better soon.”

“Thank you.” Came his reply and he climbed back into bed as she dragged the trolley and closed the door behind her. He picked up the book again and continued where he left off. This was going to be a long day, in total silence it seemed. He wasn’t sure if he liked it so he decided to change that. “FRIDAY, can you play music?”

“I can, sir. Any preferred titles?”

He thought for a moment. In the years living on Midgard he had listened to various types of music. Some good, some great and some so horrible he was tempted to go back in time and decapitate whoever came up with the genre. Then he figured he needed familiarity. “What’s the type of music Amber likes to listen to called?”

“Heavy metal.”

“Play that. In fact, if you have access to her playlist, that would be splendid.” Never change a winning team. He had listened to her playlist so many times. When there would be a change, FRIDAY would mention a new song had been added to the Spotify playlist and he would eagerly listen to the new song in the privacy of his room. It was one way to keep her close in the past year, despite them not talking.

He leaned back against the headboard of his bed and continued reading, nodding his head to the tune that started playing. 

-*-*-*-*-*-

Late in the afternoon there was another knock on the door and it opened before he could say ‘come in’. He set the book aside and looked up, instantly smiling.

“I didn’t expect you to be here.” Amber said as she walked in, closing the door after her. “Good music.” She nodded her approval at the song that was playing.

“I grew tired of the place.”

“I know the feeling.” She snorted, sitting at the edge of the bed, noticing he only had a towel around his hips. She felt a wave of heat going down her spine at the sight before her. She stared at him shamelessly, noticing bold thighs and calves. Her eyes slowly moved to his firm abdomen and chest, half of which was wrapped in bandages. Despite the amount of battles he had been in, he had only a few visible scars. She knew there were more and he had cast an illusion on himself. She envied him for it. Her eyes finally landed on his own, green ones. It felt like someone dropped a bucket of hot water over her. She cleared her throat before she spoke, hoping he didn’t notice anything. “How are you?”

“Better now that you’re here.” He reached out for her hand and she placed hers onto his palm. Of course he had noticed the slight redness that crept up her neck, just around the collar of her shirt. He decided not to bring it up, for now. “I’ll be leaving for Asgard tomorrow. Hopefully with the sorcerer’s help, otherwise with one of Stark’s jets.”

“Good.” She replied with a smile. The subject wasn’t really taking her mind off his body. “The sooner you get that checked out,” she pointed at his shoulder with a nod, “the sooner we can work on strategies and stuff.” She didn’t want to specify what strategies in case they were being eavesdropped on, but she knew Loki understood, as he nodded. As for the ‘stuff’ portion of it, well, hopefully they’ll get to figure it out very soon, as both Loki and Bucky were growing impatient by all the waiting and planning.

“And I want to do some sparring. I feel sluggish.” He definitely wanted to do more than just sparring, but it seemed the right thing to say right now.

“I should do that too. I’ve been out of it for so long.” She chuckled.

“Come here, you’re sitting too far.” He said, moving aside to make some space for her on his right side. 

She kicked her shoes off and climbed onto the bed, first kneeling beside him and quickly stealing a kiss from his lips before settling down next to him, leaning her head against his shoulder, with his arm wrapped around her back.

“I wish we hadn’t lost a whole year.” He mumbled with a sigh.

“For someone with the gift of the Silvertongue, your communication skills suck.” She snorted, looking up to him with a sheepish grin.

He rolled his eyes. She did have a point, but it was for a reason and he had told her that. “You know why I did it.”

“Only after a year. I’m still mad at you for that, by the way.”

He leaned down and placed a kiss over her temple. “I will do my best to make up for it.”

Or you could say I’m sorry, she thought to herself. But nope, he would never do that, which was irritating on its own accord. But she will get an apology from him in one way or another. One day., someday.

“But you do understand why I’m mad about it, right?”

“I do now.” He smiled at her. 

“Good.”

When one song finished and another began, Amber instantly recognized the drumming and electric guitar it started with.

“Seriously, awesome playlist!” She sat up straight and raised both hands into devil’s horns as she started headbanging.

“Blind man ask me forgiveness  
I won’t deny myself  
Disrespect you have given  
Your suffering’s my wealth  
I feed off pain, force fed to love it  
And now I swallow whole  
I’ll never live in the past  
Let freedom ring with a shotgun blast”

She sang along, trying to imitate the deep voice, which she only partially managed. She loved this type of music and whenever it was on, she couldn’t help but either head-bang, sing along or even dance. The latter had earned her several raised eyebrows from fellow metalheads, but she never cared. If a song made her dance, she would dance her heart out.

Once the song finished, she dropped back into Loki’s embrace. Clearing her throat as it felt dry from the growling attempts.

“It’s your playlist, by the way.” He said with a smirk when she looked at him with a raised eyebrow.

“Spotify?”

“How else would I have access to it?”

“I thought I had set it to private.”

“Nothing is private for FRIDAY.” He grinned.

“That is true. Unless otherwise specified.” The AI chimed in.

“Okay,” Amber chuckled and pulled out her phone. “HELEN, you there?”

“Always, boss.” Came the reply from her own AI. She loved being called boss. Loki raised an eyebrow. He didn’t know about the new AI. Or probably he did, but had forgotten.

“Set my Spotify playlist to private,” she spoke to her phone and turned to look at Loki while still addressing her AI, “and only allow access to Loki.” She smiled at him.

“Done.”

“Cool, thanks.”

“You’re welcome, boss.”

“Since when do you have your own FRIDAY?” Loki asked, amusement in his voice.

“Since I went back home after the Doombot attack. Tony had built her for Pepper, but she didn’t need an AI as she has FRIDAY. So I got to have her. Her name’s HELEN and she’s pretty cool so far.” She was very grateful to have her own AI. It gave her a new sense of security at her home and her cafe. And it made her feel like a billionaire, so that was an added plus.

“That’s very generous of him.” Loki said with a nod. Tony didn’t give out AI’s just to anyone. Amber must have a special place in his heart for him to go and do that, just like he did with the spider suit for Parker. Loki was pleased with the fact. Knowing that she had an extra security measure made him feel less anxious about leaving for New Asgard tomorrow. He had no idea how long he would have to stay there, even if he was sure it shouldn’t take more than a few days.

“It is indeed.” She nodded, turning to the side and wrapping an arm around his torso, getting comfortable. “Sometimes I feel spoiled.”

“As you should be.” He kissed her head. He wished he had his old resources from Asgard. He would spoil her rotten. She deserved it.

They lay there in silence, listening to the music. Though it wasn’t mellow, it was still relaxing. At least to Amber.

“Can I ask you a favour?” Loki asked softly, running a hand over her shoulder.

“Sure.” She mumbled, her eyes closed against his chest.

“Can you help me wash my hair?”

She sat up and looked at his hair, ruffled it a bit, which made him pull his head away with a chuckle. “Of course.” She smiled and started getting off the bed, he followed her. She grabbed his desk chair and brought it to the bathroom, putting it in front of the sink.

He sat down and she grabbed a towel and put it over his shoulders. She instructed him to slide down a bit so his neck was resting against the edge of the sink. She gently pulled his hair into the sink and turned the water on. While waiting for it to get to the right temperature, she looked at her gloved hands. Tony needs to get the new ones ready soon. She can’t have these get wet so often and leave her with nothing until they dry. She sighed in resignation. They needed to go for a bit. “I’ll be right back.” She said and went into the bedroom, closing the bathroom door behind her. When she came back, the gloves were gone and she had rolled the sleeves of her shirt up to her elbow, letting more of her scars show. Loki silently followed her movements as she grabbed his shampoo and conditioner and placed them on the edge. His heart stung at how her arms looked. They were even worse than her hands. The good thing was, she didn’t seem to mind rolling her sleeves up in his presence. Small victories and such.

He closed his eyes as she started massaging his scalp with one shaky hand while scooping water with her other palm over his hair, getting it wet before she put some shampoo on. She slowly lathered it in, massaging his scalp and running her hand along the long strands, covering them with the shampoo. She took her time in doing it, making sure the foam had covered all of his hair before she started rinsing it. Once clear, she grabbed the conditioner and started lathering it around the tips and only up to half the length of it, running her fingers through the strands to release any knots that might have been created from the shampooing. Once she was done washing the conditioner off, she gently squeezed the water off his hair for as much as she could and asked him to slowly sit up. As he did so, she grabbed the towel that was over his shoulders and wrapped his hair inside, squeezing it instead of ruffling it, to absorb all remaining water. Once satisfied, she put the towel back onto his shoulders.

“I can do that.” He said, but was met with a ‘shhh’ instead and he let her do her thing.

She was extremely gentle with his hair. Sectioning it and drying it in parts. She didn’t need to straighten it or curl it. It wasn’t his style. Once his hair was dry, she reached for the hair oil he seemed to use and dabbed a bit of it on the tip of her fingers, rubbed both her hands together before she ran her fingers through his hair to get the frizz out. Once she was done, she washed her hands and took the towel off his shoulders and dried her hands on it. Loki stood up and looked into the mirror. His hair shined in cleanness and he was very pleased. He could finally feel properly cleaned up. He turned to her with a warm smile on his face, took the towel from her and tossed it into the laundry basket. He then took her into a one-armed hug and gently kissed her lips. “Thank you,” he whispered after breaking the kiss.

“Anytime.” She whispered back, giving him another peck on the lips. “I suggest you finally go get dressed, at least just pants or something. Then we go see if there’s any food out there?”

“I’d much rather be locked up in here with you,” he smirked when she raised an eyebrow and smirked at him, “But I’ll see what I can do.” He winked at her and let go of her in order to go find something to put on.

Loki went into his walk-in closet and Amber quickly took her shirt off before she put her gloves back on. Once done, she sat down on the edge of his bed and started putting on her shoes. She could hear him curse under his breath in there, probably tripping on his pants or something. She chuckled as she finished tying her laces. “Need help in there?”

“I’m good. Did a wrong movement.” He said and walked out of the closet, wearing dark grey sweatpants and had a blazer with a matching colour in his hand. “Can you help me with this?”

She got up and held the blazer for him. He carefully slid his left arm in first and then the other. Amber walked in front of him and pulled the zipper up, then grabbed the slinger and helped him put it on, securing his left arm against his chest. He then slipped into a pair of laceless sneakers and was ready to go.

They walked side-by-side down the hallway. It was still as silent as in the morning when Loki had gone to his room. He wondered where everyone was. It was unlike them to just up and disappear without a word. He hadn’t even bothered to ask FRIDAY where everyone was and it only dawned on him now.

“Do you have any idea where everyone is? It’s been suspiciously silent today.” He asked Amber, who shook her head.

“Haven’t seen anyone since I left this morning.” She replied as they reached the living area. Bruce was sitting on the couch, drinking tea and reading a magazine. “Hey Bruce, didn’t know you were here.” She waked over to him and he stood up, giving her a hug.

“Hey, yeah just got here a few minutes ago. Tony said he needed me for something. Any idea what it is?”

“Not a clue.”

“I might know.” Loki said, reaching his hand out, which Bruce took and shook it.

“Good to see out and about, Loki.”

“Thank you.” The God smiled in a friendly manner.

“So, what could it be that Tony needed me to come as soon as possible?”

“I cannot be sure, but I suspect it has to do with Doom.” Loki said, putting his hand into the pocket of his blazer.

“Okay, that makes sense I guess.” Bruce nodded and sat down again.

“We were going to see if there’s anything to eat. Wanna join?” Amber asked, pointing a thumb towards the kitchen.

“Might do so later. Just need to finish reading this article.” He held the magazine up.

“Ok, see you later then.” She smiled and headed towards the kitchen. Loki followed her.

“Okay, this is ridiculous.” She mumbled, grabbing some leftovers from the fridge to warm them up. “FRIDAY, where is everyone?”

“Captain Rogers and Sergeant Barnes are on an unexpected mission for SHIELD. Agent Romanoff is visiting Agent Barton. Vision and Miss Maximoff are out sight-seeing. Mr. Stark is in his workshop and Mr. Wilson’s location is unknown.” The AI replied promptly.

“Wait, Sam’s missing?” she asked, putting the food into the microwave and turning it on.

“No, not missing. Location is unknown.”

“Interesting.” Loki said, taking a seat at the kitchen island.

“Indeed.” Amber crossed her arms. “FRIDAY, see if Tony would like to join us for dinner.”

The AI didn’t say anything for a few moments and then she replied, “Mr. Stark will be dining with Miss Potts. But he thanks you for the invitation.”

“Okay, looks like it’s just us and Bruce.” She shrugged.

“Seems like it.”

“Mr. Odinson, Doctor Strange has finally replied to your message. He will be transporting you to New Asgard at noon tomorrow.”

“Thank you FRIDAY.” Loki replied. Thank goodness he didn’t have to suffer a long flight all the way to New Asgard.

-*-*-*-*-*-

After they had dinner, they grabbed a few drinks and joined Bruce in the living area. The scientist had turned the TV on and was watching the news when the two joined him.

“Seems that Hydra was keeping busy today.” Bruce said, pointing the remote at the screen.

Amber and Loki sat next two each other, both frowning at what they were seeing. Hydra had attacked a military base up north, close to the Canadian border. It looked like SHIELD was handling it, but it was odd that they hadn’t been called in.

“Why aren’t we there then?” Amber asked.

“Maybe that’s where Steve and Bucky are?” Bruce wondered it as well. He had overheard FRIDAY telling them where the others were.

“Besides,” Loki added, “I am out of commission and you are not an active Avenger at the moment.” He used ‘at the moment’ on purpose, since he had a feeling after Bucky’s rescue mission, she might reconsider her retirement.

“Good point.” She took a sip of her drink. With having the gloves to stabilize her tremors, and with Michelle taking over managing the cafe, she could technically consider getting back into action. She kind of missed playing with her AK-308. She looked at the window, it was still light outside and there was a bit of time until sunset. Why not go play a bit?

“Loki?” she turned to the God sitting next to her, watching the news with interest.

“Hmm?” he responded, eyes still glued to the TV.

“I’m going to go shoot stuff.”

Loki blinked and turned to her. “Blowing off steam or practice?”

“Just for fun.”

He raised an eyebrow, which was what Bruce was doing as well.

“You agents have a weird sense of what “fun” is.” Bruce supplied.

“I do different kinds of fun. This kind I haven’t been able to do for a while.” She grinned, getting up. “I’ll go get into gear. Be right back.” She brushed her knuckles against Loki’s cheek and smiled at him, before going to change and grab her rifle.

“Wait, what was that?” Bruce asked, pointing a finger at Loki.

“What do you mean, Banner?” Loki sat back on the couch, crossing his legs.

“That touch and the look she gave you.” He waved his finger at Loki in a manner that wrapped everything together into a circle.

“Just watch the news, Banner.” Loki smirked, turning his attention to the TV. Having people around him wondering about stuff and him not giving them answers were one of the things he really enjoyed. Their private lives was their own and if Amber ever decided to announce it to the team, then so be it. Until then, he wasn’t going to parade it to the world like a teenager in love.

Love.. the word tasted weird as he thought of it. He knew he had deep feelings for Amber, but would he categorize it as love? Did love feel like a kick in the gut? Or was it warm and fuzzy like everyone wants to believe? Or maybe it was the fire shining in one’s eyes like raw passion. Or maybe.. maybe one couldn’t define how love felt, or what it was.

His thoughts were interrupted when Amber came back in full practice gear and holding her rifle against her shoulder with one arm and a box of ammo in the other. She had her hair in a tight bun and had her goggles over her head.

“So, gentlemen, if you hear some lovely noises, it’s this beauty here.” She stroked the rifle with the back of her hand like it was a delicate pet. She was grateful Tony had kept her stuff neatly locked in her old room.

There was a shimmer of excitement in her eyes, Loki could see. So, he stood up, deciding he would go watch. He used to do that in the past and he remembered that he enjoyed watching her practice. “I’m coming with. Banner?” he turned to Bruce, wondering if he would want to join.

“I’ll pass. I don’t think the other guy would appreciate the ‘lovely noises’ as you put it so nicely.” He smirked, though got up nonetheless. “I’ll go see if there’s anything to do at the lab and then go to bed. I’ll see you guys tomorrow?”

“Most likely.” Amber said.

“Cool. Have fun, then.” And with that, Bruce took his magazine and headed towards his lab.

Amber and Loki went to the outdoor shooting range which was usually used for long distance target practice. 

Loki sat on the ground a few feet away from Amber, while she remained standing. She dropped the box of ammo next to her feet and loaded a magazine for the first round.

She took a squared stance, with her shoulders squared up, the target ahead of her and her feet shoulder-width apart on a straight line. She put her goggles on and brought her right foot about six inches behind her left foot. Then placed the buttstock of the rifle near the centerline of her body and high up her chest, keeping her elbows down. She gripped the gun high on the backstrap, her index finger only hovering over the trigger. She placed her left hand over the handguards that were around the midway down the length of her rifle, then brought her hand further forward for a finer control over the muzzle. She liked to be precise, even if during an active battle, gripping this far would have been less stable. She then raised the rifle up to her head and pressed her cheek firmly into the stock.

Loki watched the whole process in awe. How she was taking her time getting into stance, adjusting her feet so she was well balanced, then raising the rifle to her cheek. It was like watching porn. Exquisite, high class porn. He couldn’t help but feel his heart racing as he watched her do what she did best.

Amber took aim, unlocked the safety lock and finally brought her index finger in front of the trigger, held her breath and shot. Once, twice, three times and then exhaled as she dropped the rifle to her side and walked over to the target.

Bullseye.

A proud smirk tugged at her lips as she looked at the three bullet holes in the center of the target. She then walked back to where she was standing earlier, resumed her previous position and started shooting again, never missing the center.

“Looks like you still got it.” Loki said after she stopped for a short break.

“Apparently so.” Her eyes never left the target as she remained standing in position. She brought her left hand a bit backwards for better stability, and pulled the trigger once more. This time she went for the full automatic mode, firing nonstop until the magazine was empty. The sound of it was like a lullaby to her ears.

“Okay, that was awesome.” She turned to look at him with a huge grin on her face. Loki smiled back as he watched her crouch near the ammo box and start loading the magazine for another round.

“It’s slowly getting dark. Another round and then call it a day?” he asked.

“Sure.” She winked at him as she loaded the rifle again and this time, she went for a kneeling position before she started firing again.

Once she was done and the target was shredded to pieces, she put on the safety lock and unloaded the magazine, put it inside the ammo box and picked it up as she stood up. “I’m done.” She grinned and took off the goggles, setting them over her head.

Loki looked at the remains of the target and nodded. “I pity it somehow.” He chuckled as he stood up and walked over to her, wrapping his arm around her waist and pulling her close. “You were divine.” He said in a husky voice and brought his lips to hers, kissing her deeply.

Amber sighed into the kiss and brought her arm, the one holding the ammo box, around his back and pressed her body against his as they kissed.

The only broke the kiss when they heard a car pulling onto the driveway. Loki groaned at the interruption as Amber let go of him and started walking towards the driveway. He followed close behind and saw a black van with the SHIELD logo on the door.

As they got closer, a tattered Bucky and a limping Steve got out. Steve was leaning against Bucky, his left thigh wrapped in bandages. They took a couple of steps before they came to a halt as Amber sped up her paces towards them.

“Hey, you guys okay?” she asked, Loki came to stand next to her.

“Yeah, Stevie here decided to play hero and got himself shot.” Bucky grumbled, starting to walk towards the entrance.

“I could have taken them if that agent didn’t get herself caught.” Steve huffed, hissing at the pain in his leg.

“Here, hold this.” Amber gave the ammo box to Loki and hung her rifle at her back. She went to Steve’s other side and wrapped an arm around his waist to help him put less pressure on his left leg.

They all went in and directly to med bay, where Steve was put in a room and a doctor went to extract the bullet.

Bucky dropped on one of the seats in the waiting area like a dead weight. “Jesus, that was one crap of a mission.” He wiped his face with his palm.

Amber and Loki came to sit on either his sides. “What happened?” Loki asked.

“It was supposed to be a clean job. Get in, shoot, go home. And then there was this new agent who suddenly panicked for some reason and got caught. Was her first day on the field or something. We got discovered. Steve went after her and got shot in the process. He was so pissed he refused to let SHIELD take the bullet out.”

“Yikes. Cap pissed at SHIELD? You don’t see that often.” Amber leaned back in her seat.

“Tell me about it.” Bucky sighed, leaning forward onto his knees. “Man, I need a bath. A three day long bath.”

“Yeah, you reek of blood and despair.” Loki jokingly scrunched up his nose.

“Oh he jokes now, too.” Bucky snorted, shaking his head in amusement at Loki, who was grinning.

“Buck, why don’t you go and hit the shower. FRIDAY will let you know when they’re done with Steve.” Amber gently nudged him.

“I probably should.” Bucky said but didn’t move. He was too exhausted to function and wished that his room would come to him instead, so he didn’t have to move. “Wait, why are you in your practice gear?” he finally noticed she wasn’t in regular clothes.

“Target practice. Now, come on, don’t get distracted. Let’s get you to your room, otherwise you’ll fall asleep here.” Amber put her arm around his and hoisted him up. 

As they dropped Bucky off at his room and made sure he would take a shower before falling asleep, Amber went to her room to change, while Loki made his way to his own room. 

Loki took off the blazer and tossed it on the chair at his desk. Then he kicked his shoes off near the shoe rack and climbed onto his bed and sat against the headboard, grabbing his book to continue reading while he waited for Amber to return.

Amber’s exhaustion reached its peak by the time she was done with her quick shower and changed into comfortable clothes. She could just pass out on her bed right now. But she had promised Loki she would go back to his room. Fighting her exhaustion, she returned to Loki’s room. When she didn’t receive any response to her gentle knock on the door, she simply opened the door and walked in.

Loki had dozed off half sitting against the headboard of the bed, with the book on his lap. His head was tilted to the side and his free arm dropped to his side. He had taken his slinger off and it was cast to the end of the bed, with his left arm resting against his stomach. Amber thought he looked so peaceful as she looked at him. She gently closed the door behind her as to not wake him up and approached him. Carefully picking up the book, she put the bookmark inside the page it was opened on and put it on the night stand. Now she needed to get him under the blankets, but he was sitting on them. There was no way she could do that without waking him up. So, she just went for it. Sitting at the edge of the bed, she gently cupped his cheek with one hand.

“Loki,” she whispered softly. “You need to get under the blankets.”

Loki stirred, but didn’t open his eyes. He simply leaned his cheek into Amber’s palm and sighed. She smiled and ran her thumb across his skin. “Loki, open your eyes for me?” she whispered again.

Loki slowly opened his eyes and looked at her. She smiled softly and ran her hand through his hair. “Let’s get you under the blankets.”

He took a deep breath and sat up straight, then slowly moved to the side before he pulled the blanket from underneath him and lay down. “Stay the night?” he asked her, reaching his hand out to her.

“Thought you’d never ask.” She said with a tired smile and got into bed. She put her head over his shoulder before she pulled the blanket over the both of them. He wrapped his right arm around her shoulders and brought his left one to her waist. He held her close while she snuggled against his chest, careful not to put any pressure on his injury and put her arm around his torso.

“I’m so tired.” She whispered as her eyes closed on their own accord. She was too exhausted to fight the sleep anymore, even though she wished she could stay awake for just a bit longer.

“Then sleep, my dear.” Loki said softly and kissed the top of her head before he drifted back to sleep.


	20. Chapter 20

As the first rays of sun seeped into the room, Amber slowly opened her eyes and raised her head. A ray of sunlight was shining right onto her face. She groaned at it and closed her eyes, then buried her face onto Loki’s chest and pulled the blanket over her head.

Loki stirred as the edge of the blanket hit his chin. He was laying on his back and his right arm had slid off her shoulders during the night and was feeling numb by the morning, which he didn’t mind if he was being honest. Mainly due to the reason why it had gotten numb in the first place. He let out a soft moan as he turned to the side, bringing his arm back to Amber’s shoulders and pulling her tightly onto his chest. He nuzzled the top of her head as he let another soft moan-like sigh escape his lips.

“If you suffocate me I’ll bite you.” Her voice came out muffled against his chest. He could feel her smirking.

“Kinky.” He simply said, smirking as well.

“Don’t get your hopes up.” She nuzzled at the skin before her nose and kissed it gently. She placed her arm over his waist and ran her hand over the side of his pectoral muscles, down to his hips and then back up.

“Good morning to you too.” He chuckled against her head. At that moment he had decided that he liked waking up with her in his arms. He could definitely get used to it.

They stayed wrapped up in each other’s arms for a while, enjoying each other’s warmth and closeness. Loki ran his hand up and down Amber’s arm, and even though it was gloved, he still could remember how her skin felt before her injury. Soft like flower petals in spring, that once you ran your fingers over them, you didn’t want to stop as the delicate velvety touch tickled at your senses. 

He brought his other hand to her chin, lifting it up so it was out from under the blanket and he could look at her. She squinted as the sun light hit her sight again and he smiled, moving himself a bit to lean over her and block the light.

“Thank you.” She whispered, finally opening her eyes to look into his. Her breath got caught in her throat as she found herself being lost in the green orbs that bore into her soul.

Loki tucked a curl behind her ear and the feel of his touch made Amber shiver. It was quiet, save for the sound of birds chirping outside. She could hear every breath he took, felt it vibrate through him under the protection of the blanket.

“You’re not supposed to use that hand.” She said softly.

He smoothed her hair as he gazed into her eyes, his expression tender and full of longing. “No, I’m supposed to not put pressure on it. There’s a difference.” He replied.

His fingers trailed down her cheek to her lips, outlining the shape of her mouth. She closed her eyes as he leaned in, lightly brushing his lips against her cheek. She shivered within his embrace, making her body tremble. His lips brushed against her skin, slowly tracing the line of her jawbone. The anticipation was getting too much for her and she reached up to pull his mouth to hers. They kissed gently, carefully. Amber cupped his cheek as she parted her lips, inviting him in. Loki groaned softly, low in his throat, his arms moving to hold her and pull her closer to him.

The world seemed to dissolve around them, as if everything had disappeared and all that remained in the universe was them. Loki could feel Amber’s warmth burning through her clothes and onto his skin. 

She trailed her nose across his jaw, inhaling his scent as if trying to memorize it for eternity. She stroked his cheek and planted soft pecks along his neck until he moaned once more.

“I’m going to miss you.” She whispered as Loki pulled back a bit to look into her eyes.

“And I you.” He kissed her forehead and traced a line along her jawbone with a finger, his gaze full of longing.

“Promise to keep in touch. Don’t disappear on me again.” She sighed, nestling against his chest.

“Never again. I promise.” He whispered as he lifted her face to kiss her again, fiercely this time and so full of longing it felt like a love song.

-*-*-*-*-*-

The morning felt too short as it got closer to being noon. Doctor Strange was to arrive at any moment now to transport Loki to New Asgard. After breakfast with the team, Amber and Loki had gone back to his room to finish getting him ready for his departure. He packed a small bag of essentials to take with him, since everything else he would need he could conjure or summon with a flick of his wrist. His magic was intact, after all. He simply refrained from using it because the effect it would have on his injury was unknown, and he didn’t want to risk making it worse than it already was. There was also a greater threat to him still, somewhere out there. Both of them hoped that Eir and her team of healers would be able to heal his injury so they could finally get back into actively hunting down Doom and retrieving Loki’s dagger.

“Mr. Odinson, Doctor Strange is waiting for you at the communal area.” FRIDAY suddenly spoke.

Amber sighed, while Loki thanked the AI and informed her that he’ll be there in a moment. Then he turned to Amber, smiling fondly. “I must depart now.”

“Remember your promise.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and looked up to him. 

“I will never forget.” He wrapped his free arm around her shoulder and pulled her into a gentle kiss. “You take care of yourself.” He said after their lips parted. “Don’t exhaust yourself too much.”

“Doesn’t take much to get me exhausted.” She chuckled, nuzzling his chin. “But I promise to be careful.”

“I’ll let you know how things go with Eir.”

“Do that. I’ll be going home today, just so you know.”

“Noted.” He leaned in for another kiss, slower, longer, more desperate. He really didn’t want to go, but it needed to be done.

They walked hand in hand towards the communal area, and were greeted by Strange and Bucky. The soldier came to see his friend off and to wish him good luck.

“Don’t do anything I wouldn’t do.” Bucky said, giving Loki a hug.

“That’s a very short list.” Loki chuckled, grinning mischievously as he pulled back from the hug.

Bucky shrugged, “you know me.”

“Indeed I do.” Loki leaned in for another hug and brought his lips to Bucky’s ear. “I know I don’t need to ask you this, but please take care of her.”

“Definitely.” Bucky responded in a whisper.

As they parted, Strange opened the portal to New Asgard and motioned for Loki to step through. Loki turned to his two teammates and grinned. “See you soon.” He said and passed through, the portal closing after him.

“You guys make it seem like he’s not coming back.” Strange said as he tucked his sling ring into his pocket.

Bucky shrugged. “We don’t know how things will go there or how long he’d be staying.”

“Thanks for doing this, Doc.” Amber said with a friendly smile.

“It was nothing.” Strange smiled back at her. “How are the tremors?”

She raised her gloved arms. “As long as I have these on, they are non-existent.” She smirked.

“Neat.” He nodded. The Mystic Arts had helped him learn how to stop his own tremors while he was still training in Kamar Taj. When he had offered Amber to teach her, she had refused, for the reason that it was magic and she didn’t want that anywhere near her self. While she appreciated magic and the Mystic Arts for the good that they could do, she was also wary of them because of her own, extremely destructive experience. “I’ll go see Tony before I head back to the Sanctum. Nice seeing you both again.”

“See you next time.” Amber said and turned to Bucky as Strange left the room to go to the lab, where he suspected he would find Tony. “Buck, I’m going home today.”

“Noooo, why don’t you stay?” he whined at her and pulled her into his embrace.

“Because I have my own place and still have a business to run?” she chuckled as she wrapped her arms around him. It was always endearing whenever Bucky did his child-like whining. It was a rare occurrence, which is what made it special to her.

“I understand, kid.” He kissed the top of her head. “But at least stay a bit today. You can go in the evening.”

“That’s doable.” She grinned at him. “Let’s go check on the other grumpy old man. Is he still angry?”

“Nah, he’s calmed down since last night. And checked out this morning, right after breakfast.” Bucky kept an arm around her waist as they started walking towards Steve’s bedroom for a short visit.

-*-*-*-*-*-

As Loki passed through the portal, he was greeted with Thor, who happily wrapped his arms around his brother, completely disregarding the fact that there was a delicate injury over his chest.

Loki hissed into the hug, bending over as pain shot through his chest and over his whole body. “Thor, you insufferable oaf!”

“My goodness, brother, I’m sorry!” Thor started fussing over his brother as he realized what he had just done. His hands were hovering around the sides of Loki’s shoulders, though not touching him.

“Oh shit, shit, shit! This is worse than I could have imagined..” The pain was so intense that Loki could barely breathe and dropped to his knees. His eyes were bloodshot as tears rolled down his cheeks. His right hand went to his chest, right over where the stab wound was covered in bandages. He hoped it hadn’t opened up again, though there was no bleeding.. yet.

“Brother, let’s get you to the infirmary.” Thor said hurriedly, grabbing Loki by the elbow and getting him up to his feet and then putting his arm around his waist. “Lean on me, brother.”

“You.. are an idiot.” Loki huffed as he leaned onto his brother and let him be led towards the infirmary. 

“I’m still sorry?” Thor grinned apologetically as they started walking out of his cabin.

Thankfully, they didn’t have to walk far until they reached a small, white building. It was a simple, cosy looking two story house, turned into a clinic for the Asgardians, which they had named the infirmary. 

Thor practically kicked the doors open as he walked in with Loki hanging at his side. “Lady Eir!” he called for the lead healer. “Lady Eir, help!”

The older woman came out from a room in frenzy upon hearing Thor’s booming voice. A couple of nurses followed after her. Upon seeing the brothers, she motioned to a younger nurse with instructions on getting a wheelchair. Those were one of the Midgardian inventions that Asgardians found to be quite useful, instead of having to transport patients on stretchers when it wasn’t really necessary.

The younger nurse came with a wheelchair and Thor helped Loki sit in it. The younger God was clutching at his chest and couldn’t sit up straight any more.

“I.. kind of hugged him without thinking?” Thor explained, guilt written all over his smile.

“Of course you did.” Eir eyed him disapprovingly. It was such a Thor thing to do. Worsening an injury without thinking of the consequences. “At least I don’t see any bleeding.” She bent down to examine Loki’s shirt. “Alright dear, let’s take you inside and see what we can do. Thor, you stay here. Or go home. This might take a while.” She turned to Thor, giving him a pointed look. 

Thor nodded. “I’ll be back later, then.” He raised a hand to wave goodbye at Loki, but his brother was already being taken inside.

Eir and the nurses took Loki into one of the examination rooms and closed the doors behind them.

“He’s going to suffer the fact he couldn’t properly say goodbye, you know that, don’t you?” Loki said through gritted teeth, attempting a smile as he was helped onto an examination table.

“That’s what he gets for tampering with an already delicate wound.” Eir shrugged, smiling at Loki. “Good to see you again, boy.”

“Likewise.” Loki breathed out as he lay down.

“Now lay still while we see what we’re working with here.” The older woman said as she started unwrapping the bandages around Loki’s chest.

Loki kept his eyes to the ceiling, staring at the white tiles lined neatly against each other. Each reflecting the lights shining through the windows. It wasn’t that much different in terms of colour scheme than the med bay at the compound, with the exception that the infirmary was far more simple than the technologically advanced med bay. For a moment Loki wondered why Thor hasn’t thought of asking Stark to contribute some of his medical equipment to New Asgard. Surely Stark wouldn’t miss it, nor would he object. Maybe it was something to consider in the future, after they were done with Doom.

His thoughts were interrupted by a sharp pain in his chest, which shot towards his shoulder as Eir started palpating the skin around the stab wound. Loki hissed, closing his eyes tightly.

“It’s as I feared.” Eir finally said, putting her palm against Loki’s head and looked at him fondly, like a mother would her child. “I’m afraid we will have to sedate you, my dear. For your body will not be able to withstand the agony as we clean the dark magic lingering in your chest.”

“How long.”

“I cannot say. Could be a few days, or weeks.”

Loki nodded. “If it needs to be done. But please send a message to Amber. Let her know she won’t be hearing from me any time soon.”

“Is that the girl..” Eir didn’t get to finish her question when Loki nodded. “Then I will send word to her myself, after I am done here.”

“Thank you.”

One of the other healers came forward with a small, clear flask containing a navy blue liquid. She raised Loki’s head a bit and helped him drink.

As he dropped his head back onto the examination table, Loki stared back at the ceiling, which suddenly started moving. He blinked his eyes to stop everything around him from moving and turning blurry. Within moments he closed his eyes and let the darkness take over.

-*-*-*-*-*-

It had been a week since Amber had gotten the message from Eir, stating that Loki was being treated under full sedation and she won’t be hearing from him until the treatment was done and he was awake. She was grateful that Thor had taken it upon himself to call her every day, sometimes inconveniently while she was at the cafe, updating her about his brother, which mainly consisted of him fussing about the fact that he didn’t get the chance to wish his brother good luck before he was taken into the treatment room. Amber was very close to just yell at Thor to stop bringing that up, but it was not her place to do so. So she opted to simply listen to him patiently and after finishing the talk with him she would put on whatever aggressive music she had on queue to calm her nerves a bit. At least her clients didn’t mind her choice in music. Ned, however, was silently suffering, but he didn’t dare to say anything.

Aside from worrying about Loki, Amber had been meeting up with the Avengers every evening at the Sanctum Santorum, where Doctor Strange would let them all into his mirror dimension to hold a meeting. Each of them had a specific task to perform in their search for Doom, which they would report and discuss only while in the mirror dimension. Amber was making strategic plans, even though they still had no idea where Doom was hiding, it was good to be prepared. Their main objective was Doom, and of course finding Loki’s dagger. A formidable weapon that can kill the moment it cuts through skin was scary enough. The fact that it was the only known weapon that potentially could kill their teammate and her.. well, whatever he was to her right now, made it even downright terrifying. 

It was the evening of the eighth day since Loki’s departure that things started acting up. Sam had arrived at the compound all bruised and battered up, holding Redwing in his hand. He stood at the entrance, breathing heavily like he had just ran a marathon. The place was dark for that time of the evening. He wondered if everyone was already asleep. He checked his watch, which had lost the glass layer at some point, it was barely 9pm. None of them slept that early.

Sighing, he took a couple of steps forward before he stopped again. “FRIDAY, can you run a scan on my suit? See if there’s any magic residue or something before I go in?”

“Sure, Mister Wilson.” FRIDAY replied promptly as she started the scan. Within less than a minute she was done. “All clear. No magical residue detected. I do recommend, however, you let boss have a look at your suit. Functionality level has dropped to 30%.”

“Yeah, no shit.” Sam mumbled as he proceeded further into the compound. “Thanks.”

“You’re welcome.”

Sam headed first into the living area, which was dark, save for a couple of dimmed lamps. “Weird.” He mumbled to himself as he dropped on an armchair, setting Redwing on the coffee table. “FRIDAY, don’t tell me everyone’s already sleeping.”

“They’re not.”

“And?”

“I am not at liberty to say.”

“Okay..” Sam was a bit apprehensive about the whereabouts of his teammates, but he figured they must be on a mission of some sort, seeing that FRIDAY was being tight-mouthed, or rather, tight-speakered.. if that was a word, about it.

He leaned back on the armchair and slightly hissed as his whole body hurt. It didn’t help that he was still in his suit. He should go get changed, and possibly get his ass to med bay and get checked. But that can wait. Just a few minutes of a shut-eye was all he needed.

But nope, the stupid uniform was pressing uncomfortably against his ribs. Huffing, he got up and limped his way to his room to shower and change. Med bay can wait a bit. He needed to get the filth off of him first.

-*-*-*-*-*-

It was almost midnight when a portal opened in the living room and the Avengers walked through. Plans were set, agreements were made and none of them looked cheerful. Strategizing blindly was tedious and annoying, especially when dealing with the likes of Doom, who was pretty unpredictable and his whereabouts unknown.

“Has Sam returned?” Vision asked as he picked up Redwing upon seeing it on the coffee table.

“Where the fuck has he been?” Bucky raised an eyebrow and headed down the hallway where Sam’s room would be. 

“Ooh I’ll take that.” Tony said, grabbing Redwing from Vision and darting towards the lab. Vision looked at Tony’s disappearing form with curiosity and turned to look at Steve, who was now standing next to him.

“I don’t know, man.” Steve mumbled, shrugging. “I’ll go check on Sam as well.”

“Very well.” Vision replied, deciding to follow Tony as he was curious about Tony’s enthusiasm.

Bucky reached Sam’s room and saw Steve walking up to him. He knocked the door and heard some shuffling before the door opened, revealing a bruised and bandaged Sam in sweatpants and a sleeveless t-shirt.

“You look like shit.” Bucky said, walking in once Sam stepped aside to make way.

“Missed you too, jackass.” He mumbled, taking a seat at the edge of his bed.

“Sam, what the hell happened to you?” Steve asked with a concerned look.

“And more importantly, where the hell have you been?” Bucky pulled the chair from behind a desk and turned it around before sitting down and crossing his arms over the backrest.

“Aww you guys missed me.” Sam grinned. “Feels nice, man.”

“Cut the crap. Where have you been?” Bucky glared.

“Stark mission. Top secret, given who we’re dealing with.” Sam smirked.

Steve raised an eyebrow and tilted his head. “Is that so? And?”

“Redwing has the intel. Or maybe had. Got shot off air, so now I’m not sure if the data could be saved.”

“Fucking Doom.” Bucky groaned.

“But,” Sam continued, “We might have a location.”

-*-*-*-*-*-

Amber had asked for a portal to her apartment after their meeting was finished. Once the portal closed behind her, she took out her phone and turned it on, seeing a new message from Thor.

“Hello, Amber, hope you’re well. Loki’s treatment is done, but he’s still in sedation. Eir says he will be “up and causing mischief” within days from now. Thought you should know. Much love, Thor.”

Amber smiled at the message. Finally some good news. The past week has been a form of hell to her. Blindly making plans was so infuriating that she was practically ready to snap at anyone who breathed her way, but it needed to be done. Once they had a location, she could quickly adjust things to match. That was no problem and this way they were saving time.

During the week Natasha and Bucky had been doing some offline spy work, trying to find out where Doom was, but even Natasha’s shady connections couldn’t give her any answers. Bucky’s own list of connections were of no help either. Going to Hydra was no option, since it would expose their plans and killing an informant in cold blood as to not let the news out was not their style. Of course, they could use Wanda’s mind controlling abilities to get information, but since Doom was collaborating with Hydra, any residue Wanda’s magic would leave might be detected. They didn’t want to risk that either and they hated it.

She put her phone on the night stand in her bedroom and proceeded to change into her night clothes. She could use a shower, but she was too exhausted to even think about it. She’ll simply shower before heading to work in the morning. Right now she needed sleep. Lots of it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> As always, I love reading your comments!


	21. Chapter 21

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the comments on the previous chapter! Made me very happy!  
> A bit of R-rated action at the end of this chapter. Just so you know.

“I’m telling you, karaoke night would be awesome!” Ned was trying to convince Michelle of organizing something to generate more income and potentially bring in new customers. Michelle was having none of it.

“I said no.” She wiped the countertop and tossed the towel underneath into a basket meant for used cloths, to be washed later, and grabbed a new one from a drawer behind her. “Setting up a karaoke night means setting up a podium, which we don’t have, and getting the needed equipment, which, again, we don’t have. I’m not going to pitch an idea to Amber that costs us more than what we potentially could make for just one evening.”

“What idea is going to cost us more than earnings?” Amber came out from the back, munching on an apple.

“It’s nothing, Ned was going to check on those customers there.” She raised her chin towards a couple that had just entered the cafe.

Ned took out his little notepad from his pocket, “I suggested a karaoke night to attract new customers.” He gave Michelle a look and went to serve the couple.

“Hmm..” Amber eyed the cafe, one hand over her waist as she took a bite of the apple in her other hand.

“Don’t tell me you’re considering it.” Michelle said, she was mixing a drink for someone at the counter.

“Might be.” Amber was already redesigning the area in her mind for a potential corner to put a screen and the karaoke machine. One night couldn’t hurt. “Actually.. there’s one at the compound.” She turned to Michelle, leaning against the counter. “We could borrow it and try it out. Ned gets his karaoke night and we get to see if it’s worth it. And if it’s not, you get to torture him about it for eternity.”

“Will you adopt me?” Michelle grinned with a glimmer of hope in her eyes and Amber laughed at that. The teenager loved how her boss’ mind worked. In another life they probably were related, at least she hoped so.

“You wouldn’t want to be my daughter, believe me.” Amber said between laughs. “But I’m flattered.” She winked at Michelle and went back to the office area to continue working.

That evening they had another meeting at the Sanctum. This time Sam had joined them and told them where he’d been all this time. Apparently Tony had sent him on a goose chase after they had gotten Bucky back from the warehouse, along with Peter. While Peter had returned shortly after, Sam stayed behind and continued his search. He had gone completely dark, as to not spark any interest from either Doom or Hydra, and only came back once he had some relevant information.

“So I managed to get the data from Redwing,” Tony said, “and we have a location. Doom’s been sighted at a Hydra research facility in Newark just a week ago.” He opened a paper map and spread it on the table. “So this is where we’re looking at.” He pointed at the location. “Got the blueprints and all.” He tossed the blueprints at Amber, who rolled them open and started checking it out. “We don’t know where he keeps the dagger and where exactly in the building he would be at.”

“The place is like the inside of an advanced motherboard. All technology, all potentially warded or some magic crap Doom does.” Sam added.

“Yeah, I don’t feel like getting shredded again.” Amber supplied, half-serious and half-sarcastic. While her gaze was fixated on the blueprints, she did notice Bucky glaring at her for the comment. He’ll get over it, after all, she kind of has.

Tony shuddered at the thought when Amber talked. No, he definitely didn’t need a repeat of that. “Maybe Gandalf and Reindeer Games could supply us with some protective voodoo or something.”

Strange rolled his eyes. “You really need to educate yourself about the Mystic Arts.”

“How come I’m never asked to protect?” Wanda suddenly chimed in.

“Didn’t know you could do that.” Tony admitted. “Thought mind control was your thing.”

“Among other things.” Wanda shrugged.

“Well then, you team up with the wizard and come up with something that would keep us from getting blown up.” Tony grinned at her and turned his attention to Amber.

“Already on it,” she said before he could say anything.

One by one, roles and tasks were assigned. Peter was getting excited about the mission and as weird as it sounded in his head, he was looking forward to it. Amber requested to meet up again in a couple of days to discuss the adjustments she was making to the plan, which she was going to first discuss with Natasha and Bucky, possibly even Loki, if he returned in time.

That evening she had felt restless. Pacing back and forth in her living room didn’t help matters. She had the blueprints and had been working on them since she had returned from the sanctum, changing plans and taking notes. She couldn’t for the life of her figure out where the dagger might be kept in that facility. She decided to give it up for the evening and pick it back up tomorrow with Natasha.

She carefully rolled the blueprints and put them on the dining table. She didn’t have the energy to think about it anymore. Maybe a hot bath would calm her nerves and give her some needed rest, so she decided to do just that before going to bed.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Work at the cafe was calm. A few of their regulars were there around lunch time and Peter and Ned were taking care of things, while Michelle was preparing orders. Amber was talking to a couple of clients when Bucky and Natasha walked in. She excused herself from the customers and went to greet her friends.

“Hey hey,” she said with a grin and gave them both a welcoming hug. “Grab a table and sit, I’ll get us some drinks. I could use a break.” She motioned for them to choose wherever they felt like sitting, and they chose one close to the bar and sat next to each other.

“Hey, you guys.” Peter showed up out of nowhere, which didn’t phase Natasha as much as it did Bucky, making Peter apologize instantly. “Can I get you something?”

“Amber’s already taking care of that.” Natasha said with a smile.

“Ok, cool.” Peter nodded, grinning, “Uhm.. I’ll get back to work then.”

“See ya.” Natasha said, watching Peter go serve another table. “He seems good at this.” She said softly.

“He’s a teenager, eager to please, of course he’d be good at it.” Bucky shrugged, amused.

“Good point.” She reached under the table and put her hand over his thigh, and he placed his hand over hers.

“I still think we should tell her.” Bucky whispered.

“I don’t want things getting awkward between the two of you.”

“It won’t. I promise.”

“What if it does?”

“What if what does?” Amber came back with their drinks and set them on the table, then she took a seat across from them.

Bucky looked at Natasha and she wrinkled her nose, not really sure if she should go with it or not. Bucky gave her a knowing look and she sighed, and nodded. Bucky grinned and turned to Amber, lifting his hand that was holding Natasha’s under the table with a smile on his face and holding it up for Amber to see and catch the clue, then he brought their hands back where they were earlier: over his thigh.

Amber sat back and crossed her arms, eyed the both of them curiously for a long moment. Natasha picked up her drink and took a sip, eyes darting to the posters on the wall and avoiding Amber’s eyes. Bucky, on the other hand, was shamelessly staring back at Amber with a wide grin on his face.

Amber narrowed her eyes and then it finally hit her. “No..” her eyes went wide in shock and Bucky shrugged. “You two?” she pointed at the both of them and Bucky nodded. “Like.. _you two_?” her voice went up an octave, but a huge grin formed on her face.

Natasha finally looked at her putting her glass down on the table. “You’re.. not mad..” she tilted her head. She was honestly expecting a different reaction, given her close relationship with Bucky.

Amber was a bit taken aback by the notion, but she still grinned like an idiot. “Are you kidding me? I think this is brilliant! How long has this been going on?”

Natasha smiled, relieved that Amber wasn’t against the idea. Even though they weren’t related, she was as protective of Bucky as he was of her. Natasha didn’t want to come between that. “A while. It was casual at first, but now we want to see how things would go. We.. no, _I_ wasn’t comfortable about letting anyone know. It’s not my style, if you know what I mean.”

Amber nodded, fully understanding where Natasha was coming from. For a spy, their whole life was kept private, even to friends and family. It was how they functioned, even after not actively being a spy anymore. “Totally.” She said and reached over the table and grabbed both their hands that were resting next to their drinks. “I’m so happy for you guys. Really.” She smiled at them as she gave their hands an encouraging squeeze. “Make sure you don’t break each other’s heart. I can’t deal with that, ok?”

“Sure.” Natasha grinned, looking at Bucky as she replied. He looked back at her with a soft smile.

“You’re basically the only person who knows,” Bucky said, “Loki and Clint would be next, but..”

“My lips are sealed.” Amber completed for him as she sat back in her chair.

“Thanks. I don’t feel like going through the fuss that Tony might start if he found out.” Natasha chuckled.

“Oh he’d make a big deal out of it.” Amber nodded. “You might even get a lecture, like Wanda and Vision had gotten.” She laughed lightly.

“Oh God, that was horrible! I felt sorry for them.” Bucky laughed as well.

“Why do you think Clint moved out without telling anyone about Laura?” Natasha smirked. “He desperately wanted to avoid the speech.”

They all laughed at that. Tony’s ‘speech’, as they put it, was always light-hearted and came from a place of love and care for them. He would tease the relationship for a bit, give them “the talk”, or at least he’d try to and would get something thrown at him, and then he would request no PSA in communal areas. It was all a joke, of course, but not to the couples involved. Tony sometimes had weird ways of showing affection to his friends and they wouldn’t love him any less for it.

“You think he’d grown out of it by now?” Bucky wondered if that was even possible.

“Do you even know Tony?” Natasha gave him a shocked look.

“Point.” He chuckled.

They were talking away about everything and nothing, with the three teenagers joining them whenever they weren’t needed by the customers. At some point the conversation turned to New Asgard and Loki.

“Haven’t heard from Thor so far today. He’s got a pretty unpredictable timing with his calls and messages, but he’s been keeping in touch on a daily basis.” She shrugged.

“So nothing new since yesterday.” Bucky asked. The last thing he knew was that the treatment was successful and Loki was still in sedation.

“Exactly.” Amber nodded, pursing her lips together. She really hated the waiting and had half a mind to just get on one of Tony’s jets and go to New Asgard. If it would take another week she might just do that. She wasn’t planning on going against Doom without Loki, not when she now knew his treatment was successful and he was recovering.

A green shimmer outside the windows caught her attention and she gasped as she saw him materialize out of thin air at the front of the cafe. He was dressed in black tight jeans and a dark grey button up shirt, sleeves rolled up to the elbows. His raven hair fanning down his shoulders like a settling dust cloud, the edges curling outwards on their own accord.

He walked in, his steps full of elegance as he looked around for her. Amber’s grin went ear-to-ear as she saw him and stood up. It was like in the movies, when lovers would run to each other on a green field, surrounded by wild flowers. They weren’t in a field and didn’t run, but both of them quickened their paces as they walked towards each other and Amber threw herself into his embrace, locking her lips with his and kissing him in the middle of the cafe, in front of friends and customers.

“That’s new.” Peter said as he sat down across from Bucky and Natasha, all of them looking at Loki and Amber.

“It’s about fucking time.” Natasha said with a smirk.

“Yeah.” Bucky smiled at his friends.

Maybe time had stopped when his lips met hers, but the flutter in his heart only intensified. Amber’s heart pounded against her chest, but she could only focus on how soft his lips felt against hers, how addicted she felt to them, to him. It felt like a dream, seeing him walk into the cafe after almost ten days of leaving, but Loki’s tight arms around her back assured her this was real, he was back.

As their lips parted for air, they leaned their foreheads against each others, both grinning and not letting go of each other. “Welcome back.” Amber whispered, finally looking up at him.

“I missed you.” Loki whispered, leaning down to kiss her again, gently this time.

“Missed you too.” She replied, bringing a gloved hand to caress his cheek. “How are you feeling?”

“Much better, now that I’m back.” He leaned into her touch. Though gloved, he cherished the way her palm rested against his cheek, soft and delicate like a rose petal.

Their moment was quickly interrupted by someone clearing their throat nearby. Loki looked behind Amber and grinned at his friend.

“Can I join in?” Bucky grinned and Amber let go of Loki, who went and pulled Bucky into a tight hug.

“Good to see you again, my friend.” He said, giving Bucky’s back a good pat.

“You too, buddy.” Bucky returned the pat on Loki’s back and led him to the table they were sitting at.

“Agent Romanoff, Spiderling,” he nodded at Natasha and Peter with a smile.

“Hey man, welcome back.” Peter said, getting up and giving Loki a space to sit.

“Thanks.” Loki replied, sitting down.

Amber went to the bar and asked Michelle to get Loki a drink, and then went to join him at their table. She sat down next to him and took his hand in hers, grinning like an idiot.

“So, it seems you guys also have something to tell?” Bucky grinned, looking pointedly at Amber, who shrugged.

“You already knew.” She smirked and Loki looked between them, wondering what that was about.

“Seems that I have missed something.” Loki supplied.

Amber looked at Natasha, who nodded, then turned to Loki. “These two,” she pointed at Bucky and Natasha, “have been secretly seeing each other.” She smirked at them.

“Oh that, yeah I know.” He shrugged.

“Seriously?!” Amber looked at him, quite surprised at that.

“Why am I not surprised?” Natasha smirked.

“Why am I always the last one to know?” Amber raised her arms in the air, just to be overly dramatic and then put them down as she giggled. Loki put an arm around her shoulders and pulled her close to him. She gingerly leaned against him, enjoying the closeness.

“So, Loki, how did the treatment go?” Bucky asked. Loki seemed alright on the outside, and he apparently teleported, but he still wanted to know how things had gone and whether his friend was back to tip-top shape.

“Eir managed to take out all residue of dark magic and the wound is completely healed by now. I was supposed to stay sedated a few more days and remain there another week, to train my muscles after a week of sedation. I somehow woke up sooner than expected and simply healed the muscles myself; and here I am.”

“So basically, you’re battle ready.” Natasha stated.

“Indeed I am.”

“Good, because you’ll get some news tomorrow and until then..” Bucky put his thumb and index against each other and moved his fingers across his lips.

“Understood.” Loki was pleased to know that their meetings in the mirror dimension had been commencing.

“Something totally random,” Amber sat up straight, prompting Loki to put his arm now over the backrest of her chair. “Ned suggested a karaoke night here at the cafe. I was thinking about borrowing the machine from the compound.”

Both Loki and Bucky groaned at the news. Loki covered his face with his palm and Bucky dropped his head backwards.

“Please don’t drag us into it.” Bucky said and looked at Amber.

“I’m in. And so is Clint.” Natasha said with a smirk, just to spite both men. Amber high-fived her.

“How would you know if Clint’s gonna go with it?” Bucky raised an eyebrow at her.

“You kidding me? He has his own karaoke machine at home.” Natasha said it like it was common knowledge.

“Who would have thought. The Hawkeye singing.” Loki chuckled.

“Okay, if you haven’t heard Clint singing it just tells me we haven’t had a karaoke night in years!” Amber playfully poked at Loki’s side. “We will remedy that. How does next weekend sound?”

“I’m out.” Bucky sunk into his chair.

“He means we’ll be there.” Natasha grinned.

“Do I get to have a choice?” Loki turned to Amber, who just gave him a devilish smirk. “Alright, forget I asked.” He sighed, shaking his head with a light smirk tugging at his lips.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Loki had remained at the cafe after Natasha and Bucky had left. He didn’t have anything planned at the compound, and the only person he was interested in was here anyway. Everything else can wait until tomorrow. He sipped on his iced coffee as he watched Amber work, discussing things with Michelle while the two boys were going from table to table, serving customers. To Loki it felt like he was back at a tavern on Asgard, where he used to visit alone and sit in a corner and watch people.

The difference, though, between the cafe and a tavern on Asgard, aside from the selection being served and the people working and visiting, was the music playing in the background. He recognized it to be Amber’s playlist. He leaned back against the chair and bobbed his head to the song that was playing, even though he couldn’t understand the lyrics, because instead of being sung, they were being yelled and growled. She had a weird taste in music, compared to the other Midgardian women he had met so far.

He looked at the bar and saw Michelle handing a couple of drinks to Peter, but Amber wasn’t there. He stood up and walked over. “Michelle, where is Amber?” he asked the teenager.

“In the back, probably resting.”

“Thank you.” Loki knew how quickly Amber would get exhausted sometimes, Bucky had told him about it in the past, but so far he hadn’t personally witnessed it happening in the middle of the day. He went to the back of the cafe and into her office space, and saw sitting at the desk, her head resting over folded arms.

He came to crouch next to her and stroked her hair, which made her open her eyes. “Hey..” she said softly and sat up.

“Should I take you home?” he said, a concerned look on his face.

“No, no. I usually take a few minutes to recharge and then get back to work.” When he didn’t look convinced, she cupped his cheek and continued. “I’m fine, I promise.”

“Is there anything I can do?”

“Grab a chair and tell me how they did it, the healers in New Asgard, I mean.”

Loki pulled a chair close and sat down next to her. He started telling her how things went the moment he had stepped out of the portal and Thor’s cursed hug, which irritated the wound.

“Ouch.” Amber winced.

“Exactly. The oaf does not know boundaries. He’s basically a walking disaster and I’m supposed to be the God of chaos.” He threw his hands up in resignation.

Amber giggled at that. Then Loki continued telling her about his treatment, how he was placed under sedation and after waking up Eir had old him what she has done so far. The wound had completely healed, with minimal scaring, and then he had healed his muscles after being immobile for so long and he was as good as new.

“I’m glad it all went well.” Amber said with smile and got off her chair and went to sit on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck, while he wrapped his own around her waist. “And welcome back.” She added in a whisper before she leaned in close and captured his lips in a soft kiss.

When she pulled away, Loki brought his hand to her neck and pulled her down for another kiss, with such intensity that made her cling to him as the only solid thing in a world swaying around her. He growled softly, low in his throat as he held her tight against him. His tongue slipped into her mouth, gentle but demanding. She felt her limbs weaken and she gripped his hair at the back of his neck, pulling him even closer. Her heart was exploding. She had never wanted anyone like this before. He tasted like coffee and cream, his breath smelled like coffee and cream. A heavenly combination for her.

One hand of his moved against her back, while the other moved slowly down her neck and over her chest, cupping her clothed breast and causing her to gasp softly.

She brought her hand and placed it over his, the one over her breast and she broke the kiss while she breathed heavily. “Not now, hot shot.” She smirked, leaning her forehead against his, though she didn’t remove his hand from her breast.

Loki groaned and dipped his head over her neck, nibbling at the skin. “I could.. take us to my room.. or your place..” he said between every nibble, his voice husky and dripping with desire.

“I’m afraid you’ll have to wait.” She whispered, finally removing his hand from her breast and putting it down on her thigh. Then she pulled her head back a bit to look at his face. His green eyes were shining with desire, his lips stained by her pink lipstick, curved at the corners in a little smile. With her thumb, she gently wiped as much as she could of her lipstick from his lips, then placed a tender kiss over them. “As much as I hate to interrupt this, I still have a business to run.” She ran her fingers through his hair before she got up.

Loki groaned again and stood up as well, grabbing her hand. “You could let your employees run the business for today.”

“I could, but there are things only I can do and those planned for today cannot wait.” She took a step closer to him and cupped his cheek, looking into his eyes, a provocative smirk on her face. “You’re not going to the compound tonight.” She added and started walking out of the office area, pulling him along.

Loki’s brain practically went into overdrive. The fact that he was not going to the compound tonight filled his head with a massive amount of thoughts and possibilities. 

The two came out of the back, faces flushed and looking beyond themselves. Michelle looked at them from behind the counter as they walked hand-in-hand to the table where they were sitting earlier. As Loki took a seat, Amber excused herself and went to join Michelle behind the counter.

“So I guess you didn’t really get to rest?” the teenager asked, filling a tall glass with ice cubes.

“I did.” Amber replied with a smirk.

“Right.” Michelle gave her a knowing look, which was met with a shrug.

“I managed to send an order for some ingredients. They should be delivered in a couple of days.”

“Cool.”

Peter came to the counter and handed Michelle the next order. “Hey, miss Bishop,”

“Yes, Peter?”

“Do you think it’s alright if I take off early today?” Peter was fidgeting as he asked the question, looking a little pale in the face.

Amber stopped what she was doing and leaned on the counter with both her hands and stared at Peter with a poker face. The longer she stared, the more terrified Peter looked. Loki was watching the interaction from the side, hand over his mouth to cover a grin. Amber was sure she noticed Loki’s shoulders shaking from laughter, but she kept staring at Peter, who was looking at her, then at Michelle, who didn’t even look at him, and then back at Amber. 

The way Amber looked at him sent chills down Peter’s spine. He wished the ground would open and swallow him. He shouldn’t have asked to leave early. Maybe he can call May and tell her he won’t make it. She’ll understand right? She’s been pestering him about being more serious about things, and having a job was considered something serious, right? So by staying until closing time he was being serious and responsible. Seriously responsible, even.

After a few seconds, which felt like hours to Peter, a wide grin appeared on Amber’s face and she straightened up, moving away from the bar counter. “Sure, kid. No problem.” She turned her attention to the cash register, winking at Michelle in the process, who simply smirked and continued preparing a drink.

Peter sighed in relief, feeling like a cold bucket of water had been poured over him. “Thanks, miss Bishop.” He said, smiling nervously.

Amber walked around the counter, coming to stand next to Peter and put an arm around his shoulder and pulled him to her in a side hug. “No need to thank me, Peter. First of all, we’re teammates, well, ex-teammates anyway. Secondly, I myself have been skipping work quite often lately. Wouldn’t be fair of me to go all bossy on you now, would it?”

“No, I guess not.” Peter chuckled. “You had me there for a moment, though. I was getting ready to call aunt May and cancel.”

“Cancel what?” Amber let go of him and walked over to the table to sit down across from Loki.

“Oh it’s nothing. She wants me to go to this charity event at the community college. Do a little speech to help raise money.” He shrugged. He liked helping wherever he could, even with raising money for charity, despite not being a fan of making speeches.

“Oh.. good luck then, kid. If you want, I can go full dictatorship and keep you here until it’s too late?” Amber grinned innocently at Peter.

“Nah, it’s okay. I like helping.” He shrugged, “But thanks anyway.” He took the tray with drinks that Michelle was done preparing and walked over to the table it was meant for.

“Devious little creature, you are.” Loki commented, sitting back and crossing his legs.

“Eh, I have my moments.” Amber shrugged with a smirk, very proud of herself.

The music on the speakers was a pleasant one, and a few customers had gotten up and started dancing. Amber observed while she hummed the song. It wasn’t a favorite of hers, but somehow it had made its way into her playlist.

Between working and keeping Loki company, the day flew by. Peter had left a couple of hours earlier than closing time, so Loki decided to help out with serving clients. On any other day or circumstances, he would have found serving anyone well beneath him, for he was a prince! But for Amber? He’d do just about anything without giving it a second thought.

By the end of the day, they closed the cafe and Amber even offered to drop off Ned and Michelle wherever they wanted. But the teenagers respectfully declined and decided to take the public transport instead.

Loki and Amber walked to her car and got in, strapped their seatbelts in and before Amber had turned on the ignition, Loki turned to her.

“I could teleport us, including the car, you know.”

“It’s only a 15 minute drive.” She smiled at him and then turned her attention to the car. She turned the keys and the vehicle came to life. The way to her apartment felt like the longest 15 minutes Loki had ever experienced in his life. He wanted to touch her, hold her, kiss her. And he knew better than doing anything that would distract her while she was driving.

As soon as they stepped into her apartment and Amber closed the door, Loki practically pounced at her, trapping her between him and the door as he claimed her lips. She wrapped her arms around his neck and held him tight as they kissed. It was one of those open mouthed kisses. Passionate, messy and desperate after a long almost two weeks of being apart, followed by a day of waiting to get proper privacy before they could get their hands on each other.

Their lips only parted when they needed to breathe, and connected again after. Loki’s hands were over Amber’s sides, then moved upwards to her breasts, cupping them and squeezing them as a low groan escaped his throat. He then lowered his hands to the hem of her shirt, sneaking them underneath the fabric and running his palms over her abdomen.

That caused Amber to gasp and abruptly break the kiss. Her hands left his neck and came to grab his wrists, pulling them away from her abdomen. Her eyes were closed and her face downcast. She was panting, and her body was slightly shivering.

Loki, while startled at the sudden way Amber pulled away from him, was breathing heavily. Only when she pulled his hands off her abdomen did he realize the reason behind it. Her abdominal scars, though neatly covered with a photostatic veil, were still there nonetheless. And it seemed that she was quite sensitive about them.

While she was still tightly holding his wrists, he brought them up to his lips and he placed a soft kiss over both her hands, before lowering them again. That made Amber open her eyes and look at him. He saw the unshed tears threatening to come out at any moment.

“How about we keep the shirt on for now, and we have some dinner first?” he offered with a gentle smile.

“I’m sorry, I didn’t think I would have that reaction, but.. that’s a nice idea.” She nodded, her lips curling in to a soft smile.

Loki took her into his arms, prompting her to release his wrists and wrap her arms around his waist. She buried her face onto his chest and simply stood there while he held her. It pained him seeing her confidence fade at the simplest touch close to her scars. She hid her pain from the world like a master of disguise, afraid of what others would think of her. That was not the Amber he knew and loved.

Yes, he loved her. Falling in love with her was the easy part. Admitting it to himself was a different story altogether. He’s had so many defences walled up around himself for so long, that through the years of knowing each other she had managed to slowly, intimately, tear down a door just for her. And right now she came crashing through the last hurdle and landed through his heart.

A soft smile made its way to his lips and he dipped his head to plant the softest of pecks over her head. She raised her face and looked at him, smiling back.

“You mentioned dinner and we’ve been standing here for a while.” She said softly.

Loki chuckled, brushing her hair off her face as he admired her hazel eyes. His hand came to rest over her cheek, running his thumb over her cheekbone. “I’d stand with you for eternity, if that is what you want.”

“You put food in my head, so right now I want food.” She grinned as she started pushing him backwards, not leaving his embrace until they were at the kitchen door, “Come, let’s see if I have something in the fridge, otherwise we order.”

They ended up having leftovers, which Loki didn’t mind at all. In fact, he hadn’t had her cooking for quite a while, and a warmed up version was no less tasty.

After they finished eating, they moved to the living room. Loki sat down while Amber went to her bedroom and changed into comfortable clothes. A pair of short shorts with a loose shirt on top. Loki’s mouth practically watered as he admired her toned thighs. He watched every twitch her leg muscles made as she walked over to him, the slight curve her hips made when she changed a step. It was as breath-taking as ever. 

“Don’t you dare drool over my new couch.” She grinned as she came to sit next to him, pulling her legs up as she leaned against him.

Loki chuckled and wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Who could blame me?” He purred against her cheek, nuzzling her skin and taking her scent in. “Who would dare to blame me?”

“Remind me not to go on a fight against you..” she mumbled, her eyes closed and her voice was almost a whisper. “You would lose.” She smirked, turning her face so she could nuzzle him instead, “And we wouldn’t want that.”

She placed her palm over his thigh as their lips met, taking each other’s taste in, gently probing and exploring. His own hand came to rest against her cheek, while the other remained around her shoulder, trapping her close to him.

It seemed that today her self-restraints were on vacation of something. Without breaking the kiss, she shifted in her seat and went to straddle him, cupping his face with both hands as Loki let out a small gasp of excitement at that, grinning at her sudden mood shift.

“If I didn’t mention it before,” she whispered as she kissed a line along his jawbone, “I missed you..” she sucked gently at his neck, just behind his ears. Loki’s breath caught in his throat as he shivered at the sensation his body received at that. If it was a wave of magic or electricity, he couldn’t tell. His hands moved over her body, up her back and down to her hips. He raised his head as she sucked the cool skin of his neck. While it may not bruise, it will certainly be marked in his mind.

Her heart thumped inside her chest as she captured his lips again and sighed into the kiss, her mouth opening on its own accord to give him access, which he took full advantage of. His hands came down to cup her buttocks, squeezing and kneading the flesh that was not covered with her shorts. She grabbed his shoulders and dug her gloved nails into the flesh as she let a moan escape her lips. They pulled apart and took shaky, shallow breaths. She leaned her forehead against his, her eyes closed. The feeling at the bottom of her stomach only grew stronger, making her knees feel weak. Loki opened his eyes and looked at her through heavy lids. Her breaths tickled his nose and he pulled her into yet another passionate kiss, letting his hand work its way under her shirt, feeling the skin on her back. He knew to stay away from the front, for the time being. In time, he will get there too, when she was ready.

His hand felt cool against her warm skin, which only made her body shiver in anticipation as she pressed herself to his chest. She didn’t realize she was slowly rocking her hips against his own, until she felt a bulge against her inner thigh. Without breaking the kiss, she let go of Loki’s shoulders and braced herself with both hands against the backrest of the couch and continued slowly rocking her hips against his. Loki’s nails dug into her back, clinging to her like his life depended on it. He couldn’t help but thrust his hips upwards to meet hers, wanting more friction. He only broke the kiss to take a breath and immediately his mouth found her neck and he sucked hard on the skin. Now that was definitely going to bruise. Amber’s breath caught in her throat as she moaned again, louder this time. She could feel her orgasm building up and she sped her rocking motions. Loki got the hint and dropped his hand from her back and grabbed her hip, pinning her down as he rocked his hips against hers, rubbing his erection through layers of clothes between her legs. 

“Fuck.. don’t stop..” she said between moans, letting her head drop backwards and giving him full access to her neck. He grazed it with his teeth as groans escaped his throat, the tension building up within him as well. “I’m close..” she added in a whisper, looking down at him while she rolled her hips against him.

He looked hungrily into her eyes, his mouth slightly open as he was getting close as well. “Come for me,” he breathed in a husky voice and watched the fire light up within her as she dropped her head back and arched her back, thrusting her hips against his with full force as she moaned, making him lose control and come as well.

Amber was panting heavily as her body shivered at the waves of orgasm. As they slowly subsided, she looked at Loki through half-opened eyelids and a satisfied smirk, which he mirrored. She then leaned down and captured his lips in a hungry kiss.

After they parted, she dropped her head over his shoulder, trying to catch her breath. Loki wrapped his arms around her and held her while he tried to catch his own breath. After a few minutes she finally got off his lap and dropped at his side, leaning against his side and closing her eyes. Her mouth was slightly open as she tried to regulate her breath. Loki was in a similar situation. She had definitely left him breathless. He dropped his head backwards against the backrest of the couch and closed his eyes, waiting for his racing heart to slow down.

“That was..” she was so out of breath she didn’t have the energy to continue.

“Yeah..” Loki said, taking deep breaths.

“And you didn’t even have to undress me. Go us.” She chuckled, finally opening her eyes an turning her head to look at him.

He looked down at her, grinning. “You’re welcome?”

“Better watch the sass, mister. Otherwise you might not get a second time.” she grinned and started laughing as Loki simply put his palm over her face and laughed as well. 

“I will be looking forward to the second time.” He dropped his hand to the side and cradled her face, running his thumb over her cheek.

They stayed there for a while, looking into each others eyes, with only the muffled sounds of the passing cars on the street disturbing the silence in the room. Then Loki leaned in, once more kissing Amber’s lips, though this time it was a very soft and gentle peck. He withdrew his hand from her cheek and looked down to his lap. “Oh dear,” he mumbled at the dark spot at his groin. He waved his hand and it was clean again. Next time he’d make sure he doesn’t cum in his pants. “Better.” He said and turned to look at Amber who was shaking her head with a smile.

“What?” he asked. He couldn’t help but smile as well.

“Nothing.” She replied and leaned her head against his shoulder, wrapping an arm around his waist. “It’s good to have you back.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments give me feels <3


	22. Chapter 22

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So I made a mood board/banner for this story as well. Not really happy with it. Let me know what you think.

The Avengers were getting ready to be transported to the Sanctum. While everyone was gathered in the living room and waiting, Pepper was doing headcount and saw that Tony, as always, was late again.

“FRIDAY, is Tony still at the lab?” she asked.

“Yes, ma’am.”

“Could you tell him to hurry up? Doctor Strange will be here any moment now.”

“Message delivered. Boss says he’ll be there in a moment.”

Bucky grabbed his phone and sent a message to Amber, letting her know that they’ll be leaving soon. Amber and Loki were to join everyone else at the Sanctum, teleporting directly from her place.

Once he pocketed his phone, Tony came to join them and at that moment a portal opened in one corner of the room and Strange stepped out of it. “Everyone here?”

“Yeah, let’s do this.” Tony said and walked past Strange and through the portal.

The rest followed him and Strange looked around. “Where’s Bishop?”

“She’ll join us there. Teleporting with Loki.” Bucky said as he stepped through the portal as well.

Once everyone was through, Strange walked through as well and closed the portal. Not seconds later, three loud knocks were heard, and a few moments later Amber and Loki joined the group.

“Reindeer Games! Good to see you back in one piece!” Tony said, patting Loki’s shoulder.

“Thank you.” Loki replied with a slight incline of his head.

“Yeah, welcome back.” Steve said, reaching out to shake Loki’s hand.

As Loki shook hands with his teammates, he felt a sort of pride in his heart for being welcomed like that. Having teammates who trusted you was essential, no matter your line of work. It also pleased him that through the years he had managed to become friends with them, despite sometimes wanting to rip each other into pieces. But that’s how friends functioned, right? Right.

Strange constructed the mirror dimension and everyone was once again seated at the large meeting table he had placed there. Amber went on explaining the roles being assigned to everyone, showing points of interest on the blueprint that was spread on the table. Then they all listened to Loki’s side of things, what he thought would or wouldn’t work, considering there was magic involved.

Stark was already working on new suits for everyone. One that would prevent Doom from controlling or tampering with the electronics within. The suits were essentially ready, but he needed a few more days to make them perfect, and it was alright. It would give them some time to further perfect the plan. SHIELD would join the raid if necessary, but this was to be considered a strictly Avengers mission. Amber, Loki and Bucky did not want the SHIELD agents getting in the way of their own plans. If by any chance HYDRA got involved, then SHIELD can go and have a field day with them.

The meeting had lasted longer than normal, what with everyone bringing their final thoughts and input into the plan. In theory, it was simple. Infiltrate, incapacitate, find and capture Doom, find Loki’s dagger, bring Doom to a SHIELD holding facility, bring Loki’s dagger to the compound. And most importantly, no one of the team was allowed to be incinerated or blown to pieces.

After they were done, Loki and Amber joined the others at the compound. Everyone was scattered around the living room, mindful of not discussing the meeting anymore, due to the concern of being eavesdropped on. So Natasha headed to the bar and started serving drinks, while Tony made an order for dinner.

“Hey Tony, can I talk to you for a second?” Amber pulled Tony from a conversation with Bruce.

“Sure, kid, what’s up?”

“I’m testing waters with karaoke at the cafe. Think I can borrow the karaoke machine you have here?”

Tony’s eye lit up. “Most definitely! I have a bet to settle with Legolas.”

“What bet?” Amber crossed her arms and raised an eyebrow.

“That I can totally kick his ass at karaoke.” He grinned.

“Please, I’d wipe the floor with the both of you.” She snorted.

“Oh yeah? Well how about we settle that right now?” Tony smirked, there was no way she could outdo him in karaoke. He was Tony Stark! Mr. Awesome at Everything!

She chuckled at his eagerness. “I’ll have to pass. To exhausted to function right now.”

“Oh! Speaking of which, I’ve got new toys for you.” He grinned and motioned towards the hallway leading to the elevators. “Let’s go to the lab.”

“You’re going somewhere?” Loki joined them just before they left, looking back and forth between the two.

“To the lab. Tony has something for me, he says.”

“Barnes!” Loki turned to Bucky, who came over. “Stark has something for Amber.”

“Really? Well, let’s go check!” Bucky grinned.

Tony rolled his eyes. Two grown up men and they both behaved like teenagers sometimes. Well, at least he was almost certain Amber wouldn’t mind having them both in the room when he showed her the finished product.

When they were in the lab, he took out a rectangular box from one of the drawers and handed it to Amber. She looked at it with curiosity and turned to Loki and Bucky, giving them a curious look before her attention went back to the box and opened it.

Inside was a pair of translucent gloves. She looked apprehensive as she picked one up and set the box on a nearby table. She held the glove in both hands and examined it. It was semi-transparent, which would totally fail to cover her scars. It was long enough to cover all the way to the shoulders, just like her current gloves and the photostatic veil she used to wear in the past. The new glove looked soft, but she couldn’t feel it due to the gloves she was wearing right now.

“So? What do you think?” Tony was eager to know her thoughts about it, since her face didn’t convey any reaction and was more curiosity than anything else.

“It’s see-through.” She held it before her eyes as she looked at Tony. “Fails the purpose of me wearing them, don’t you think?”

“Ah, but that’s where you’re wrong my dear agent Bishop.” Tony had a proud look on his face. “While working on another pair, I had an epiphany of some sort. So, I combined several technologies. Most of which are SHIELD classified stuff, so I won’t bore you with the details. Programmed them all into nanites and this is the result. It looks and feels like fabric, but once worn, it will activate and will serve as a second skin. Will completely cover the scars, as if they aren’t even there, just like the veils and would prevent the tremors, like the gloves.”

“Impressive.” Amber smiled. “And does the hand part separate like I requested?”

“Didn’t see the need for it.” Tony shrugged, and before Amber could say something, he continued, “What this glove does, like I said, it serves as a second skin, like literally. You’d be able to feel things when you touch them. And, you don’t even need to take them off when showering or when you want to wash your hands. Like I said, similar to the veils. Another set is being manufactured as we speak, just so you’d have a spare, though you probably won’t even need it. And of course it has some neat security measures, most importantly, it cannot be magically controlled.”

Amber’s face lit up at the explanation. This was way more than what she hoped for when she asked him for a new pair. “Tony this is amazing!” she said and gave him a hug.

Loki and Bucky were watching them, both smiling and feeling happy for her, though at the same time both renewing their resolve to bring Doom to his demise for the agony he had caused her.

“Wanna try them on?” Tony asked after Amber pulled away from the hug and she nodded. “FRIDAY, secure lab, you know the drill.”

The door to the lab locked and the windows turned opaque. Loki looked around and raised an eyebrow and turned to Bucky. “What’s going on?”

“No one’s allowed in when Amber undresses.”

“She WHAT?!” Loki didn’t intend to raise his voice, but the shock was too grand for him to keep silent. Both Amber and Tony turned to the two, startled at the sudden outburst.

“It’s not like that, you idiot!” Bucky slapped Loki’s arm, visibly offended by the unspoken meaning behind Loki’s outburst. “How do you think she’d be putting the gloves on when they go all the way up? Even I have to take my shirt off for a simple arm maintenance.”

“She can do it in privacy!” Loki objected.

“She is right here in the room.” Amber said, folding her arms against her chest. 

“And you do not object to it?” Loki tilted his head as he looked at her, quite surprised that she wouldn’t shy away from revealing her body and scars to them, while she shied away from him. First in his room at med bay, covering her hands, and yesterday at her apartment where she visibly panicked when he touched her abdomen. He couldn’t understand where the difference lay for her.

She put the glove in the box and walked over to him, putting her hands over his waist. “Both of them had seen it all since day one. Tony worked extensively on the photostatic veils, and those are quite difficult to measure and calibrate while you’re fully dressed. Besides, look at it this way, this is a medical necessity and Tony is my doctor. You don’t shy away from your doctor.” she shrugged.

“I don’t feel comfortable about this.” He whispered, leaning his forehead against hers.

“You don’t have to. Because I do and I trust all three men in this room with my life. Yes, that means you too.” She smiled at him and cupped his face, bringing him down for a soft kiss.

Bucky and Tony watched the exchange from a distance, Bucky smirking and Tony watching with a raised eyebrow. He had no idea things were looking serious again between the two.

“Should I give them the talk?” Tony leaned close to Bucky as he whispered.

“Only if you want your junk chopped off. At least wait after we’re done with you know who.” Bucky whispered back.

“Noted.” Tony nodded. There was no need to get his junk in danger any time soon, or ever.

Amber turned around and walked back over to Tony. “So, anything I need to know about putting them on that I don’t already know?”

“Nope, just pull them up and they’ll adjust accordingly.”

“Cool.” She nodded and pulled her shirt off. Tony immediately turned around, as did Bucky, giving her some privacy, like they always did. Bucky pulled at Loki’s arm to turn him around as well. Though he had seen the scars on her arms not so long ago, it was still a sensitive matter to her and Bucky didn’t want her to feel any distress.

Well, this part was unknown to Loki, so he looked at Bucky and smirked. Bucky winked at him and smirked back, “you should have more faith in us, my friend.”

“I should.” Loki nodded.

Amber carefully took her gloves off and placed them on the table, then picked up the new ones and slowly put them on. The term second skin was very accurate in this case. The light material hugged every ridge caused by the scars and she could see how the surface of her arms levelled up, looking as smooth as they were before her injury had occurred. As she pulled the gloves over her shoulder, she felt it adjust itself around the joint until she couldn’t feel it anymore. She held her arms before her and looked at them with a dreamy look in her eyes. She couldn’t stop smiling. Not only her arms looked smooth, the colour of the gloves had changed and now they were matching her own skin colour. Even her nails were visible through the glove and that tiny detail caused a lump to form in her throat as tears filled her eyes and she started silently crying.

None of the men moved, for she hasn’t given them the signal that she was done getting dressed. Though upon hearing her silent sobs, and not even knowing, nor caring that she was supposed to first tell them she was done, Loki turned around and went to her, pulling her into his arms and holding her as she continued to cry silently against his chest.

Keeping his gaze downcast, Tony walked over to Bucky and tapped his shoulder, nodding towards the door for them to give the two a moment alone.

Bucky turned to look at his friends. Loki was stroking Amber’s hair with all the care in the world as she clung to his chest, shedding silent tears. While it broke his heart seeing her like that, it also warmed it up immensely, seeing his friends in each other’s arms like that.

He caught Loki’s gaze and signed to him that they’ll be waiting right outside until it’s ok to come back in. Loki nodded and turned his attention back to Amber, while Bucky and Tony left the lab and closed the door behind them.

“If I knew it would overwhelm her like that I would’ve had Pepper be here.” Tony said, leaning his back against the wall in the hallway.

“She’d kill me if she knew I told you this, but she’s more sensitive than she lets on.” Bucky smiled fondly.

“Like none of us already knew that.” Tony snorted. “And since when is that going on? With Loki?”

“Since he got stabbed.” Bucky shrugged. “They had a heart to heart; so far no one died.”

“Heh, good for them. Let’s hope he doesn’t do anything stupid again.”

On other side of the tinted windows, Loki held Amber in his arms. She had stopped sobbing, but didn’t move from his embrace and just stood there within his embrace, her face buried in his chest. Loki continued stroking her hair with one hand, while the other rested over her upper back.

After a few moments Amber finally pulled away and looked at him. Her eyes were red and puffy, her cheeks wet from the tears. Loki brought both his hands to her cheeks and wiped the tears away. He kissed her forehead and smiled fondly at her.

“Thank you.” She whispered.

“What for?” he replied, his voice also a whisper.

“For being here.”

“Always.” He placed a soft peck on her lips and grabbed her shirt and handed it to her.

She put the shirt on and looked at her arms, running her hand over her forearm, her heart beating frantically at her chest. “It feels like real skin.” She said, admiring the new gloves.

“Stark has outdone himself this time.” Loki noted. He cupped her cheek again and raised her face to look at him. “Should I call them back in or do you need more time?”

“No, they can come back.”

Loki went to the door and called for Bucky and Tony to come back in. Once inside, Bucky took quick steps to Amber and took her into his arms, hugging her tightly.

“I’m fine, Buck. Just overwhelmed.” She said as she returned the hug.

“I know, kid. I know.” He pulled away and held her hands to have a look at her gloves. “Wow, it’s like you’re wearing the veils, but no tremors.”

“Yeah,” she grinned.

“So it’s safe to say you like it?” It was Tony who spoke.

Amber let go of Bucky and went over to Tony, pulling him in a hug. “Thank you so, so much! You have no idea how much this means to me.”

“I might have an idea.” He said grinning widely as he hugged her back.

“Food should be delivered already, let’s go join the others.” Bucky suggested and Tony nodded as he let go of Amber.

“I think I’ll skip dinner. I feel exhaustion creeping up, so I’d better head home.” Amber said with an apologetic smile.

“You can stay here the night.” Tony said as a matter of fact, “you know I don’t have to say that every time.”

“I know, Tony. And Thank you, really. But I’d feel more comfortable at home.”

“Suit yourself.” Tony shrugged, “you’re missing out on some delicious Chinese cuisine.”

“I’ll try not to feel too bad about it.” She chuckled, and then turned to Loki. “Could you take me home?”

“Of course.” He said and came to hold her hand.

“I’ll see you guys soon.” she said and Loki teleported them to her apartment.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Loki teleported them into her living room and instantly had his arms around her, holding her close to him. Amber wrapped her arms around his waist and looked up into his eyes with an inquiring look on her face. “What’s this for?”

“You said you’re exhausted.” He smiled softly.

“I said I felt it creeping up, there’s a difference.” She smirked, but lay her head against his chest anyway. “But thank you for caring.”

“I could never not care.” He kissed the top of her head. “And since your exhaustion is creeping up, as you say, how about we order dinner?”

“Pizza?”

“Perfect.”

She pulled back and looked up at him for a moment before she let go of him and took his hand instead, going to sit down on the couch. “HELEN, can you place an order for a large pizza?”

“Any preferred toppings?” her AI replied.

“Dunno, you?” Amber turned to Loki, who shrugged. “Uhm.. okay, a large supreme pizza with extra cheese.”

“Order placed, will be delivered in about 30 minutes.”

“Perfect. Thanks, HELEN.”

“You’re welcome, boss.”

“So, food is ordered, drinks are in the fridge. Would you like some?”

“Whatever you’ll be having.” Loki said and stood up, “tell me where it is and I’ll bring it.”

Amber smiled at how attentive he was. “I’ve got some alcohol-free beer in the fridge. There’s also regular one if you prefer that, promised Bucky I’d always have some. He hates the alcohol-free one.” She chuckled. “So, suit yourself.”

Loki nodded and went to the kitchen, grabbed two bottles of alcohol-free beer from the fridge, opened them and came back. He stood at the door before walking further in. “Uhm.. would you like a glass with it?”

“Nah, I’m good.” She said and kicked her shoes off to lift her legs up on the couch.

Loki walked over, handing her a bottle and sitting down next to her, draping an arm over the backrest. He held his bottle in front of her, and she clicked the neck of her bottle with his, while looking into his eyes in a silent salute before she took a sip.

Loki took a small sip of his beer and tried the taste over his tongue. It wasn’t that bad. It was light, a bit of citrusy taste to it, and a subtle tang of regular beer. He wondered why Bucky hated it. It really wasn’t that bad.

“Barnes has a weird taste in drinks. This isn’t bad at all.” He said, taking a larger swig this time.

“He likes his alcohol.” She shrugged with a smirk, taking another sip.

“Amber,” Loki put his bottle on the coffee table and turned a bit to face her. “May I ask you something?”

“Sure.” She turned her face to look at him.

“Earlier at the lab, you were very comfortable taking your shirt off in front of Barnes and Stark, yet when you were visiting me at med bay, you were hiding your hands at all cost, and only after I insisted you let me see your scars. When you helped wash my hair, you removed the gloves in privacy. I’m curious, how come?”

Amber gave him a soft smile before she dropped her gaze to the bottle she was holding over her lap. “It’s like I told you earlier.” She looked at him again, “Bucky has seen the whole extent of the damage since day one. Just as you have. You were there when it happened. And as for Tony, well, he was making the photostatic veils and it was inconvenient for me to run to a room every second, take my shirt off, put them on, then the shirt and then come back. Especially in the beginning when he needed to do the fitting, and it wasn’t something I could do on my own. That’s why I came up with the reasoning to see him like I would a doctor. Besides, both Bucky and Tony are always discrete and turn away when I take my shirt off.”

This wasn’t any different from what she had already told him at the lab, but it still didn’t answer his question. “But why still hesitate around me? Like yesterday, for example.” his voice dropped to a whisper. “I thought we were closer than that.”

She put her bottle on the table as well and turned to the side, tucking her leg underneath her so she could face him. “It’s because of that reason I couldn’t let you see it, Loki. Despite what happened between us, I still have feelings for you.” Her heart was beating hard against her chest as she admitted that. “I couldn’t let you see this damaged, broken version of me. It’s been over a year and I’m still trying to come to terms with it.”

“Oh my dearest Amber,” he cupped her face between his palms. “You are never damaged nor broken in my eyes. You are as whole as ever. Precious and amazing and fierce as you have always been.” He gave her a warm smile. “In Asgardian culture, battle scars are worn with pride.”

“Why do you conceal yours then?” she flinched right after she posed the question. It was probably rude to word it like that, but it was too late. The words were already out.

Loki dropped his hands from her face and started unbuttoning his shirt, took it off and set it aside. “It is true that I conceal my scars, but not all of them. I simply heal faster than a scar could form. But,” he pointed at his chest, where a thin line from the stab wound caused by the Silver Dagger was still visible. “This one will never disappear, due to its nature.”

“Magical artefact.”

“Correct.” Then he turned sideways, and she saw the big gashes of scars running from armpit to the side of his back, they looked like they were caused by claws. “This one I got while fighting trolls to save Thor’s idiotic arse after stupidly being captured. They can usually be persuaded to show kindness in exchange for a favour, Thor kind of blew up our chance at that, so I had to fight.”

Amber gently traced her fingers along the four scarred lines on his side. She has seen them before, but never knew the story behind them. Then she watched as he unzipped his pants and pulled the waistline down a bit to reveal a scar of what seemed to have been a puncture wound right above the hipbone, close to his groin. Now that she hadn’t seen before.

“This was from an unfortunate accident during a battle on Vanaheim. I was preoccupied with a spell that I failed to notice the spear that was heading my way.”

Amber winced at that. “That must’ve hurt.”

“Like a bitch.” Loki chuckled. “There’s also..” he pointed at the middle of his abdomen, where an almost invisible scar line was. Another stab wound.

“That looks very old.” Amber said, leaning forward and gently tracing her fingers over that scar line. Loki tried suppressing a shuddered breath every time her fingers touched his skin.

“It’s..” he sighed, his voice low and husky. How did a simple touch leave him breathless, he couldn’t understand. Nor did he care to. He would love to have her hands all over him, but right now he had a question to answer. He cleared his throat before he spoke, “it’s from when Kurse killed me on Svartalfheim.”

Amber sat back for a moment, raising an eye brow. “But you’re very much alive.”

“True. I had used a body double. Every injury they get, I feel them as if I was getting them myself. And when it’s a fatal injury, I am left with the scar.”

“Aren’t your body doubles illusions?”

“They can also be corporeal when I need them to. On Svartalfheim it was essential to have it be as realistic as possible. Thor was supposed to believe me dead.” He shrugged, like it was a daily occurrence.

Amber was simply astonished at the ease he talked about it. “You’re a sadist.”

“Only the God of Mischief.” He grinned.

At that moment the doorbell rang and Amber got up to answer. A couple of minutes later she was back with the box of pizza. “Couch or dining table?”

“Wherever you prefer.” He replied, taking the bottles off the coffee table and bringing them to the kitchen, not bothering with putting his shirt back on.

Amber put the pizza box on the table and went to the kitchen to get a couple of plates. At the kitchen door she almost bumped into Loki, who was on his way back and she simply wrapped her arms around him. “I want to hear the story behind Svartalfheim, if you don’t mind.”

“Maybe another day? It’s not a pleasant one.” He nuzzled the tip of her nose as he spoke and then gave her a soft peck over her lips.

“Alright. I’ll grab us plates. Go get comfortable. Do you want anything else to drink?”

He shook his head and pushed a strand of hair behind her ear before letting go of her and stepping aside for her to go into the kitchen. He then went to the hallway and took his shoes off, and then went back to the living room and sat down on the couch, lifting his legs up to sit cross-legged.

Amber joined him after a few seconds and sat down next to him, also cross-legged before handing him a plate and pulling the coffee table closer. “Movie?”

“Go for it.”

She reached for the remote under the coffee table and turned the TV on. She scrolled through the list of movies on demand. She settled, as Loki had suspected, on a romantic comedy. One that neither of them had seen before. 

Dinner and movie.. they haven’t done that for a while and it brought back fond memories for the both of them. While Amber was setting up the movie to start, Loki took her plate and grabbed a slice of pizza out of the box and put it in the plate before handing it back to her. She mumbled her thanks before she started the movie and put the remote away and started eating. Loki grabbed himself a slice as well and was soon engrossed in both movie and food.

Every now and then he would watch her from the corner of his eye. He knew she was a big fan of romantic comedies and it seemed that the past year hadn’t changed that. Both movie and food were forgotten to him for the time being, as he continued discretely watching her. The way her nostrils flared at certain, intense scenes; the way she smiled when the main characters were being goofy or loving with each other. The soft gasps she let out when the antagonist tried to come between the lovers in the movie. It all made his heart flutter in delight as if a kaleidoscope of butterflies have suddenly made home there.

Amber knew there were a set of eyes on her. She always knew when she was being watched. After all, she had extensive training and experience in the matter. Though this time she didn’t react to it, since the set of eyes were not of a targeted enemy during a mission, no. Loki was watching her. He had been trying to be subtle at first, but then it turned into just plain looking at her, watching her every move. In a way, it felt pleasant. Putting her plate on her thigh, she grabbed her slice of pizza in one hand and took a bite. She brought her other hand to rest on Loki’s thigh, closest to her. She slithered her hand from the top of the thigh to the inner side of it and let her hand stay there. A form of indication that she knew he was staring.

Loki’s breath got caught in his throat as her hand came to rest on his inner thigh. It was close to his crotch area, too close for comfort. Though they were a bit intimate the day before, he didn’t think she would want to do anything tonight, especially since she had told him she was becoming exhausted.

As he finished his last slice, he put his plate on the table and grabbed a tissue to wipe his mouth and hands, then tossed it onto the plate. Amber was doing the same after she finished her share of the pizza and wiped her mouth. While her eyes still glued to the TV screen, she moved to change her sitting position. She manoeuvred Loki as well, tapping at his leg and waving her hand horizontally. “Sit sideways and spread your legs.” She mumbled and he obliged. Turning so now his back was leaning against the armrest and one leg stretched before him, while the other on the floor. He slid down a bit so he was comfortable in a half seated position, almost laying down but not quite. Amber came to sit between his legs, leaning her back and her head against his chest. Loki wrapped his arms around her, basically trapping her within his arms as they continued watching the movie in total silence.

By the end of the movie, they had both fallen asleep on the couch. At some point Loki had slid further down until he was laying down completely, with only his head resting against the armrest. Amber had ended up trapped between the back of the couch and Loki, neatly curled up against his chest and wrapped within his arms, while her legs stretched between his own.

HELEN, being ever so observing, dimmed the lights in the living room and turned the TV off. The AI had contemplated waking them up and sending them to bed, because her programming said she should be taking care of Amber, and said programming did not consider sleeping on the couch for more than a short nap to be comfortable. Nevertheless, her cameras and sensors scanned Amber while asleep. Heart rhythm normal, breathing normal, comfort level normal. There was no need to wake her up, then. She would take the matter to FRIDAY, inquiring about sleeping on a couch and comfort level, whether her programming needed updating about that particular matter.


	23. Chapter 23

The morning came around and Loki stirred, feeling a weight on his side. He opened his eyes and found himself still on the couch in Amber’s living room, with her snuggling up to him and trapped between him and the back of the couch. That didn’t look too comfortable and his neck also felt stiff against the armrest.

He teleported them to her bed and under the blankets, sighing in relief as his head rested against the soft pillows. He looked down at her, thankful that the move didn’t wake her up. He didn’t know what time it was, but it was around dawn. He decided to close his eyes and catch a bit of more sleep before it would be time to get up.

A while later he opened his eyes again, Amber was still asleep. He looked at the window and it was bright outside. He was confused as to why she hadn’t awakened yet, especially since she needed to go to work soon. He gently pressed his lips to her forehead for a kiss and was shocked to find out how warm she was. He brought a hand to her cheek, it was warm. He moved the hand to the back of her neck, even warmer. Had she caught a cold?

He turned to the side, facing her, and gently stroked her cheek. “Amber, you need to wake up. You’ll be late for work.” He whispered, but she didn’t react. “Amber?” he raised his voice a tiny bit, “Amber, you need to wake up.”

She stirred and buried her face onto his chest, groaning. “Amber, it’s time to wake up.”

“Later.” She mumbled, but otherwise didn’t move.

“You might have a fever.” He was met with another groan. “Should I make you some tea maybe?”

“Coffee..” she curled up even more against him.

Okay, fever or not, he was getting her coffee, though he knew tea would have been preferable. He slowly slid himself off the bed and went to the kitchen, made two cups of coffee and came back. She was curled up under the blankets. He put both mugs on the night stand and climbed onto the bed and ran his hand over her arm. “Amber, coffee is ready, you need to sit up.”

She slowly pushed herself up and he put the pillows against the headrest before she pushed herself backwards to sit against them, eyes still closed, frowning and feeling dishevelled.

“Coffee.” She put her hand out, making a grabbing motion.

Loki smirked as he handed her a mug and sat back as well, reaching for his own mug.

Amber took a tentative sip and sighed, leaning her head against the headboard. After another sip she finally opened her eyes and turned to Loki, who was looking at her with worry in his eyes.

“Who died?”

“You have a fever.”

“I don’t.”

“You know I can detect certain conditions, and you have a fever.”

“It’s because I was under the blanket.”

He sighed, taking a sip of his coffee. She was just too stubborn. “Not all night. I’d like you to stay home today.”

“Not gonna happen. Need to work. Gotta prepare for tomorrow.”

“Amber, dearest, please..”

“It’s nothing. I’ll be fine after breakfast.” She sent him a groggy smile.

While not convinced, Loki decided to drop the subject and simply spend the day with her. If it was as she said, then good. If not and her health got worse, he would be there to immediately bring her home.

After they finished their coffee, they got out of bed. Amber was feeling a bit off, but she didn’t pay it any attention. They had breakfast together, despite her already being late for work. She simply sent Michelle a text that she’d be coming later and went on with getting ready.

After a quick shower, she wrapped a towel around herself and her hair and walked into the bedroom. Feeling a bit dizzy, she decided to sit on the bed for a moment. A stupid fever was not going to ruin tomorrow’s preparations for her. Loki had used magic to freshen up and change his clothes. He then spent the time in the living room, waiting for her to be ready.

When he noticed she was taking her time, he got up and went to the bedroom and found her sitting at the edge of the bed, leaning her elbows over her knees and face hidden in her palms. He sat down next to her and put an arm around her shoulders.

“You should really consider staying home today. I can go take care of things for you.”

She looked up at him and smiled. “That’s very sweet of you, but I’m still going to work. I promise you I’m not sick. Just feeling under the weather.”

“What can I do to get through to that stubborn head of yours?” he sighed.

She leaned towards him and brushed her lips against his. “Can’t help you there, sorry.” She smiled against his lips and kissed him.

He knew it was wrong to take advantage of someone when they were not feeling well. But her lips against his were like fuel to his fire. He took her face in his hands, hungrily trying to taste more of her as he explored her mouth with fervour.

He moved on to kiss her neck. She knew that once he kissed her neck her resistance would crumble. After just a few delicate touches of his lips, her hands moved over to his back as her head started swimming. All thoughts about work simply stopped existing. There was only one desire now, and they both knew where this was heading if they didn’t stop. Loki was counting on distracting her enough to deter her from going to work. He wasn’t beneath trying anything.

Loki’s lips found their way to her collarbone, kissing his way slowly, intimately. Amber let her head drop, giving him a better access to her throat. He licked her skin and she drew in a breath, her warm body shivering.

“You just want to keep me home.”

“Is it working?” he licked a vertical line over her throat up to her chin.

“Not.. quite..” 

He hooked a finger over the edge of the towel wrapped around her body. He could feel her tense when he gently pulled at it. He decided to not take it off, simply loosened it enough to pull it only a tad bit down to reveal her breasts, but was still covering the scars hidden behind the photostatic veil. He pushed her to lay on her back as his mouth found its way to her chest. Cupping her breast, he rubbed his thumb against her nipple and he started sucking on the other, earning him a moan from her. Her voice vibrated through his whole being and he rolled his tongue over her nipple, making he arch her back.

“I’m.. not.. staying home.” She said between breaths. Her hands roamed his back and came to grab his hair. She pushed herself up to a sitting position, making Loki stop his ministrations and sit up as well. She then kissed him hungrily and just as abruptly, she broke the kiss. “So not staying home.” She smirked and patted his cheek, then pulled the towel over her breasts and got up to finally get dressed.

Loki dropped on the bed and sighed in defeat. Did he always have to fall for the stubborn ones? So initial plan it is, then. Stay with her and make sure she doesn’t get worse, if she does, bring her home. Should be easy enough. Though knowing her, there was nothing easy with this one.

“Can I at least do a healing spell?”

“No.”

He sighed. Absolutely _nothing_ was easy with her.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Work was eventful, to say the least. Tony had sent the karaoke machine over with Happy. Amber put Loki, Peter and Ned to floor organizing duty. She showed them how she wanted the chairs and tables organized, and they did the moving. Customers had to move sometimes from one table to another, but they didn’t seem to mind once they either found out it’s for karaoke night, or when their drinks were offered for free. There was still the singing corner to be set up. Amber decided they don’t need to put up a podium and instead it will be that the karaoke machine is on the floor, at a corner where it wouldn’t get in anyone’s way and the little screen would be placed next to the microphone stand. Michelle and her were busy alternating in connecting the karaoke machine and serving clients. They had fallen back to their old style. Amber behind the bar counter and Michelle serving the drinks. Some of their regular clients cheered when they saw Amber shake a cocktail. Thanks to her new gloves, it turned out that she can still do it properly.

To elevate the positive atmosphere in the cafe even more, she raised the volume of the music that was playing in the background.

A round of cheers erupted through the place as “Carry on my wayward son” by Kansas started playing. Amber and Michelle were singling along, as were quite a number of their customers. Loki and Ned looked at each other, puzzled at the enthusiasm around them as they carried some chairs to rearrange.

“I think we should clear the dance floor.” Peter said, pushing a table into place. “Looks like they’ll need it soon.” He grinned.

As the three of them finished, the area used as a dance floor was cleared, and soon enough, a couple of people got up and started dancing and rocking out to the music. Amber raised her hand from behind the bar, making her fist into devil horns and headbanged while shaking a drink with her other hand.

One song finished and another started. More people started dancing and soon it was a full on dance party with more customers coming in. Soon Michelle was behind the bar with Amber, while Loki helped the boys with serving.

“I should totally do a heavy metal night.” Amber nudged Michelle, who grinned.

“Totally. Rotate themes every week.”

“Themes according to genre or decade?”

“Ooh tough one.” She had to think for a moment while she handed a customer his iced coffee. “Weekly genre rotations, once a month decade rotation.”

“I like that. We’ll start setting up after the thing.”

“I’ll write down some ideas until then.” The teenager grinned, excited by the prospect of bringing new excitement onto the work floor once Doom was dealt with.

As the working day came to an end, the boys were seated around a table while Amber and Michelle were at the back doing the day’s accountancy. Amber was sweating, though the room was not warm enough for that. Michelle noticed the beads of sweat on her boss’ temple as the woman in question scribbled down some numbers.

“Are you warm? The air conditioning is not broken, is it?”

“I’m fine. It’s just the exhaustion.” Amber gave her a quick smile as she carefully focused on her breathing. It was a bit difficult to breathe, like someone was constricting her windpipe, but she thought nothing of it. It was probably just the exhaustion of the day creeping up once more, like it always did.

“You didn’t rest today at all. Maybe you should go home and I’ll finish up here and lock up.”

“It’s okay. Almost done here anyway and we can close together.” She smiled as she took the papers to the scanner.

Michelle watched her carefully, not convinced it was just the exhaustion. Amber didn’t sweat when she was exhausted and that was a sure sign for the teenager that her boss wasn’t feeling well. She finished her part quickly, and as soon as Amber finished scanning her notes they joined the boys at the front.

“Tomorrow we’ll open late in the afternoon, since karaoke is going to be in the evening. Or would you guys rather we only open in the evening? I’m easy either way.” Amber sat down next to Loki, who pulled the seat for her.

“I don’t mind coming in the afternoon.” Michelle immediately said.

“Yeah, we’re okay with it as well.” Peter added and Ned nodded in agreement.

Loki looked at them and then at Amber, who wiped the sweat off her forehead. “If I may,” he turned to her, “I would suggest you only open in the evening. Gives you some time to prepare any last minute issues that might come up.” He looked at Michelle, knowing the teenager would understand his reasoning. His intentions were not out of concern about the event, but for Amber’s health. The woman was so stubborn that she would probably drive herself into a coma by dismissing concerns about her wellbeing.

As expected, Michelle nodded. “You know, Loki has a point there. Opening early means distractions and we might get overwhelmed, seeing how happy the crowd was today. We can still come in early, but only open in the evening.” She sounded hopeful.

Amber looked between the two of them, then shrugged. “Okay. Let me know if your families have any objections about you lot being out until late. Tell them I’ll be driving you home in person. You can even stay at my place if you want.” She looked at Michelle when she said the last bit, the teenager smiled, a bit timid. Something about her smile seemed a bit off to Amber, but she didn’t comment on it, mainly due to how exhausted she felt.

“I don’t think May would have any problems with it.” Peter said. “I think she might want to come though.”

“I’m hurt by the fact you haven’t even considered that her presence was a given. For shame, Peter. For shame.” Amber shook her head, smirking.

“For shame, Peter.” Ned said, standing up. Peter blinked at his best friend and then turned to the others, face full of confusion. “Let’s get going then. I better be home on time if my mom is going to let me stay out late tomorrow.” Ned added, patting Peter’s shoulder.

After closing the cafe and locking up, the teenagers bid the two adults goodbye and went on their merry way. 

“So, Mister Odinson, care to take me home since you didn’t let me drive?” She crossed her arms over her chest and gave Loki an exhausted smirk.

“I’m surprised you even have to ask.” He took her into his arms and teleported them directly into her bedroom, where he sat her down on the bed. “How are you feeling?” he sat down next to her, an arm around her shoulders as she leaned against him.

“Hungry and exhausted.”

“Can you manage getting into comfortable clothes while I prepare some food?” he wiped the sweat off her face and cursed inwardly at how warm her skin was. 

“Yeah, I’ll manage. A cheese sandwich would be nice.”

“Alright.” He kissed her forehead before he went to the kitchen.

Loki came back after a while with the requested cheese sandwich and a cup of chicken bouillon soup he had quickly made. He stopped in his tracks as he saw Amber curled up on top of the blankets, fast asleep and still in her clothes. Shaking his head, he set the cup and plate on the night stand and with a flick of the wrist, she was in her night clothes: a simple pair of shorts and a t-shirt. He then gently picked her up, and with a small wave of fingers her blanket was pulled away and he lay her down in bed, then pulled the blanket over her and tucked her in. He ran his hand over her hair and closed his eyes. A wave of gold shimmer entwined with green ran through his hand and over her. A little healing spell that would keep the symptoms to a minimum if she had caught a cold, though not really a full healing spell as he knew how she felt about using magic on her. He needed her consent before attempting to fully heal her and he respected that.

He grabbed the sandwich and the cup of soup and went to the living room. He’ll make her a new one if she would wake up. For the time being, he’d eat them himself. No need to waste good food, even if he wasn’t really hungry. 

As he finished watching a movie that was playing on TV, he turned the device off and brought the empty plate and cup back to the kitchen. He washed them and then went to the bedroom. Amber was still asleep, so with a flick of the hand he changed into sweatpants and got into bed, laying behind her and carefully wrapped an arm around her torso as to not wake her up. He wasn’t sleepy just yet, but holding her close to him like that felt comforting. 

Amber’s body stiffened for a moment and she opened her eyes when she felt a hand over her stomach. In her sleepiness, she turned around and looked at Loki, who simply looked back at her. She closed her eyes and buried her face into his chest and was back asleep.

Loki smiled. Even in her sleep she was conscious about her stomach being touched. One day he’ll manage to let her drop the walls surrounding her. He still had hope.

-*-*-*-*-*-

The next evening the cafe was bustling with energy. Tables and seats organized, electronics set up and customers started slowly coming in. Amber was feeling much better and suspected Loki had something to do with it, though when asked, he denied everything. Not that she believed him, but she let the subject drop as they were already busy. She had reserved a few tables at the front for her friends and was behind the bar helping Michelle with orders.

Loki kept May company at one of the reserved tables, while Ned and Peter were busy serving customers. The Avengers started to come in, which caused a round of excited whispers and phones shooting up and taking pictures of their favorite heroes.

Amber walked over to meet her friends, greeting them all with hugs and guiding them to their tables. By the time everyone was there, she went and grabbed the microphone.

“Good evening everyone! Welcome to our first ever karaoke night!” she had to pause for a moment as a few people cheered, making her grin with delight. “So, here’s how this will go. There’s a tablet at the bar. You can scroll through the song selection, tap on the song you want to sing and you’ll be requested to type in your name. One of us would be calling out whoever’s turn it is. Sounds easy, right?”

A round of cheers.

“Good. So, let’s give ourselves ten minutes to get the initial list started and then we can start having some fun. And to welcome you all, first round of drinks is on the house.”

More cheers erupted through the place and there was already a small line at the side of the bar for people to sign up.

People had different levels of perception whether they could sing or not. Amber didn’t mind the variety, she happily bobbed her head to the music, no matter whether the voices behind the microphone were pleasant or resembled a screech. The whole point of the evening was to have fun. 

Tony was excited when it was finally his turn. He had a bet going between himself, Clint and Amber, that out of the whole team, he would crush it. Naturally, Amber and Clint had their own bets on who would be crushing the other when it came to singing.

It came as no surprise when Tony started singing a slow song with a husky voice. Growing up with rich parents, it meant his extra curricular activities also included singing lessons. 

Bucky took Natasha’s hand as they took on the dance floor and started dancing. The Avengers watched them with raised eyebrows, with the exception of Amber and her crew, who already knew about them giving a relationship a try. Rhodey invited Pepper to dance, and slowly the dance floor was filled with pairs dancing to Tony’s singing. 

Loki eyed Amber from his seat. Contemplating whether he should ask her to dance or not. She kept mixing drinks and serving them to customers at the bar, grinning as she talked to them in the process. A little smile tugged at the corner of his lips. Maybe it wasn’t a bad idea for him to experience some Midgardian dancing.

He was about to get up when the song finished, so he decided to remain seated. Next up was Clint. He kissed his wife for good luck and took the mic from Tony. Loki was pleasantly surprised that the Hawkeye could sing. He didn’t expect the birdbrain to have it in him.

Not waiting long this time, Loki finally got up and walked over to behind the bar, wrapping his arms around Amber’s waist and leaning his chin over her shoulder. “Care for a dance?”

She excused herself from the customers and turned around in his embrace. “Thought you’d never ask.”

Smiling, he took her hand as they walked to the dance floor. The slow music and Clint’s raspy voice twirled like thread around them. Holding her hand in one of his, while the other came to rest over her waist, they swayed to the music, dancing and spinning to the slow song Clint was singing. They kept gazing into each other’s eyes, all the while smiling as their feet moved in sync to each other, like they had been practicing this their whole life.

When the song came to an end, the two of them stood in the middle of the dance floor, still looking into each other’s eyes. The world simply ceased to exist at that moment. It was only the two of them, sharing a moment of intimacy in a room full of people they had momentarily chosen not to pay attention to.

Loki leaned in, brushing his lips against hers in a gentle peck, making her let out a soft gasp and close her eyes. “Thank you.” He whispered as he looked at her and smiled. “For the dance.”

A soft click of a camera pulled them from the reverie they had found themselves in. Looking to the source, they were met by a smiling Michelle who looked at the photo she had just snapped, visibly pleased with the result. She pocketed her phone and nodded towards the mic. “You’re up, boss.”

“Shit.” Amber chuckled. “Well, my dancing prince, excuse me while I go wipe the floor with Tony and Clint’s chins.” She grinned as she walked over to the microphone and tapped the screen for her song to start.

“Okay, someone hand these two some tissues.” She pointed at Tony and Clint, who just laughed, shaking their heads. “Nice job warming the crowd up for me.” She winked at them and adjusted the microphone stand as the music started playing.

_”Shake your head, say “it’s mad,” you always do  
Hold me down, tell me how it’s not true  
These wings could lift us both, but you don’t think so  
You are all I wanted, so_

_If I threw it all away, would I still have you?  
If I tried to hit the brakes, would you see right through?  
This ain’t the fair-weather love like I’m used to, no  
If I threw it all away, would I still have you?”_

Both Tony and Clint had their jaws dropped as they listened to her sing. Her voice rolled over the hills in sorrowful waves. Swells of power rose up in her throat. Loki watched and listened. Not able to tell anymore whether it were words coming out of her. Her voice was music and grace, haunted by the feeling of pain. Her hand went to her heart and she turned her gaze to look at him as she sang the last notes.

When the song finished, Tony and Clint were the first to stand up and cheer as hard as they could. “Another!” both of them yelled among the cheers that came from all around the room. 

Amber grinned at her friends and walked over to them, grabbing them both in a three-way hug. “You two are idiots.” 

“Oh come on, you didn’t tell us you can actually sing!” Tony grinned.

“I always thought you can hold a tune, but hot damn I didn’t expect that voice to come out of you!” Clint was beaming at her.

“Eh, you flatter me.” She feigned modesty, grinning at them.

“Now give us one more!” Tony said, then turned around to the crowd. “The next in line can wait a bit, because Iron Man said so.”

Everyone broke into laughter and cheers. The evening was going better than expected. Nodding, Amber went back behind the screen and scrolled around until she found the song she was looking for.

She smirked as her eyes glued on Loki, while the piano notes started playing.

_”Just one more drop  
Then I will stop  
Not before, not before  
I need your love like  
Vampires crave blood  
And I know, it’s never enough”_

She picked the microphone off the stand as she started the chorus. Her eyes still on Loki, she walked over to him.

_”You’re my chosen  
You’re my chosen  
Poison that I love  
Ooh, ooh, I love  
And it’s never  
And it’s never enough”_

She came to stand before him, palm over his cheek as she sang to him. Loki simply watched, wondering if this was her way of declaring her feelings to him. He felt his throat go dry as she sang the next words.

_”Just one more kiss  
Then we end this  
Not before, not before  
I crave your touch  
That electric rush  
But I know it’s never enough_

His breathing became shallow and he had to swallow the lump in his throat as she brushed her lips against his own ever so slightly, quickly pulling away and going back behind the monitor to continue the song.

The Avengers were watching them very closely, especially those sitting closest to Loki around the table. The God of Mischief was frozen in his seat. Completely and utterly mesmerised by the woman basically serenading him in front of friends and customers alike.

As the song finished, the cafe burst out with cries of cheers and whistles. Loki smirked as he stood and walked over to her, taking her into his arms and kissed her for all to see. 

All of their friends erupted into excited cheers, Clint and Sam whistling as the others yelled “Finally!” at the both of them.

They leaned their foreheads against each other’s as they giggled at the reactions they caused. “We’re definitely getting Tony’s lecture soon.” Amber said.

“I don’t mind.” Loki grinned as he turned to look at Bucky, who was smiling at the both of them, holding Natasha’s hand over his lap in both of his.

After handing the microphone to a customer who was next in line, Amber walked over to the table where Loki was seated earlier. He sat down and took her over his lap, with an arm wrapped around his shoulders.

“That was amazing.” May spoke, smiling ear-to-ear at them.

“Thanks.” Amber replied. “It’s good to see you again, by the way.”

“You too.”

The evening went on without a hitch. The night had been a major success. The customers slowly started leaving, congratulating Amber on a successful karaoke night and hoped that it would be organized again.

Amber was pleased by the reactions she got from her customers, and as the last of them left, only the Avengers and May were left inside. She closed the door and locked it, figuring they’d stay a bit longer.

“So, anyone up for some real drinks and food?” she clapped her hands as she walked over to her friends.

“It’s almost midnight. Food?” Vision inquired.

“I could eat.” Tony said, taking his phone out to place an order.

“Tony, you insult me with that. Let me do the ordering.” She grinned.

“Okay.” He smiled with a shrug.

“Is everyone okay with pizza? Or would you rather have something else?” everyone mumbled their agreement about pizza, and she turned to look at Tony, a smug smile on her face. “HELEN?”

“Yes, boss?”

Tony’s eyebrows shot up. Was his AI calling her boss?

“Please place an order of pizza enough to feed the Avengers. To be delivered here as soon as possible.”

“Immediately, boss.”

Amber grinned as she saw the look of disbelief on Tony’s face. 

“What, didn’t expect your AI call someone else boss?”

Tony shook his head, finally chuckling though still in shock. “Honestly I had no idea that was possible without me programming it in.”

“Well, you have programmed a very intelligent AI, who has adapted to my shenanigans pretty quickly.” She walked over to behind the bar and Tony followed, taking a seat at it. “And just so you wouldn’t bust a nerve, she only calls me boss while where here. At home I’m Miss Bishop.”

“Selective titles, even. Nice. I’m proud of me.” He grinned, taking the drink she offered him.

“As you should be.”

“Hang on, this is alcohol. I thought you don’t serve alcohol here.” Tony said as he was about to take a sip of his drink.

“I don’t. Which is why it wasn’t served while there were customers around. Now the doors are locked and we’re officially closed. What I do after hours is my own business.” She winked at him, mixing another alcoholic cocktail and handing it over to Loki, who showed up next to her.

“Thank you.” He said, taking a sip. “Nice.” He kissed her cheek and walked away, joining Bucky and Natasha in a conversation.

“So things are good with Reindeer Games?”

“He’s still alive, as you see.” She smirked, wiping the counter.

“Hope he wouldn’t fuck up again.”

“I don’t think he will.” She smiled as she looked at Loki’s direction, who was laughing at something Bucky had said.

“If I haven’t said it before, I’m happy for you, kid.”

“Thanks, Tony.”

Food had finally arrived and they were all soon indulging in various conversations over pizza and drinks. After they were done, Loki volunteered to teleport Ned to his home, as it was established that Michelle would be spending the night at Amber’s. The teenager was quite excited about it. Peter informed them that Ned would be spending the night at his place, so Loki didn’t have to take him home after all.

As they all helped clean up, they started getting ready to leave. Michelle walked over to the front door to unlock it. At that moment a whizzing sound was heard and all the Avengers froze, looking at each other and then at the entrance.

“Take cover!” One of them yelled.

“Michelle, get away from the door!”

Bucky’s warning came a second too late when an energy blast hit the door and the glass shattered against the teenager, flinging her and the others across the room as smoke filled the cafe.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are getting spicy once more :D
> 
> The songs that Amber sang during karaoke (and I imagine her having the same voice)  
> [Still have you by Freya Ridings](https://youtu.be/H7OZd6JkvKM)
> 
> [Poison by Freya Ridings](https://youtu.be/LjTEJiZ1BCw)


	24. Chapter 24

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> TRIGGER WARNING: stabbing, blood, gore, torture.
> 
> I tried my best with this chapter. You know how sometimes you have a certain scene in your head and you want to write that down and end up building a whole story just to get to that scene? Well, this chapter is where that scene happens to be at. I'll mention which scene it is in the end notes.

Loki engulfed the cafe in a protective shield a few moments after the blast hit the glass. Feeling a bit disoriented, he managed to stand up and spread his shaky arms and gathered the foggy smoke and made it dissipate. He then looked around for Amber, and saw her crawling through the debris towards an unconscious and blood covered Michelle. 

Amber carefully checked her protégé for broken limbs and when she didn't find any, she carefully took Michelle into her lap. “Michelle, honey, open your eyes for me, please?” her voice was soft, yet shaky. She was barely keeping her composure, while tears ran down her cheeks. 

Loki sprinted to them and knelt before them. He observed the state Michelle was in. Several cuts covered her body and arms. Shreds of glass implanted themselves in many places over her face and body. One big shard was deep into her thigh and another right under her ribs. One of her eyes was bleeding, probably due to a shard of glass as well.

“Amber, don't move her at all. I'll try to remove the glass.” Loki said softly and she nodded. 

Slowly waving his hands, he let his magic swift through his palms and watched as the pieces of glass slowly disappeared. He then worked on stopping the bleeding, and Amber could see it was taking a toll on him.

“Loki, careful.”

“The barrier outside still holds. I'm fine.” He breathed out. “Can't do much here apart from sedating her and transporting her to med bay. They need to check if anything internal has been harmed.” 

“Do it.” She said as she placed a soft kiss over Michelle's forehead. 

Placing a sleeping spell on her, Loki transported the teenager to med bay and gave a quick information to FRIDAY before he teleported back. HELEN will have to do the rest of the information exchange. Everyone was getting up, dusting off glass and or debris off themselves. Peter looked around disoriented and in panic for his friend. “Boss, where's Michelle?”

“Med bay.” Amber replied, getting up as well. “Bucky?” 

“Here.” Came his response as he helped Natasha stand up, who immediately doubled over. “Whoa there, lean on me.” He held her by the shoulders as she pulled a piece of glass off her hip. “Loki, can you help?”

Loki came to them, placing his palm over her wound and closing it. She mumbled her thanks before he went on to help others.

“Anyone with dire injuries?” he called out.

“Mrs. Parker is still unconscious!” Ned called and Peter jumped to his aunt's side. 

“She must've hit her head.” He said as he gently shook her shoulder. “Aunt May, can you hear me?”

“Suit up, Peter. I'll take it from here.” Loki said and spotted Clint helping Laura stand up. “Barton! I can take your wife to the compound!” he called and Clint nodded, walking Laura over to where Loki stood, carrying May Parker in his arms. “Hold on to me.” He told the two other civilians and once they did so, he transported May, Ned and Laura to the med bay as well.

Once he was back, he saw Doombots trying to break his protective barrier from the outside. His clothes shimmered and he changed into his armour. Tony and Peter were also in their suits and Loki closed his eyes and waved his arms in an intricate manner, getting all the Avengers into their suits and weapons. To Tony’s surprise, they were the new suits that he had designed for them.

“Looks like we don't get to finalize our plans.” Bucky mumbled as he stepped to Loki's side, his machine gun loaded and ready.

“We finalized it enough.”

“Let’s go get that son of a bitch.” Tony joined them, “drop the barrier, Reindeer Games.”

Loki did as asked and the team charged at the Doombots. The Hulk was instantly having a field day smashing any and every Doombot that crossed his way. 

“Aim for the heads!” Amber called as she opened fire at a number of bots, taking them down. “And get Thor!”

“I don't have time to teleport back and forth!” Loki yelled, while ripping a Doombot’s head of its body and tossing it aside, before moving on to the next.

“FRIDAY will get Strange to do it.” Iron Man said as he blasted a repulsor at a Doombot.

It was chaos and the Avengers were beyond pissed. What was supposed to be a nice evening had taken a horrible turn and their friends were now critically injured and while at med bay, they still worried about their wellbeing.

Peter shot webs left and right, trapping Doombots while Natasha took them out with her Widow’s Bites. Clint was shooting arrows with accuracy, hitting the target every time.

Soon enough, a portal opened and both Thor and Doctor Strange walked through, immediately engaging in battle.

“Anyone has eyes on Doom?” Amber called through the comms.

“Looks like it’s only Doombots!” Steve supplied, throwing his shield and decapitating three Doombots.

A whirring sound was heard again through the chaos. This time they recognized it soon enough. 

“Loki! Barrier!” Amber called and he supplied.

The moment all of the Avengers were within his protective barrier, an energy blast crashed into it.

Loki covered his ears and dropped to his knees, screaming in agony.

Amber ran to his side, holstering her rifle to her back. “Loki, talk to me!”

“He’s close.. hurts..” he struggled to stay conscious as the pain seared through his head. He felt his skull was about to crack. His ears were ringing loudly, as if a banshee was screaming into them. “Barrier will fall.. take cover..” he managed to breathe before he fell forward and Amber caught him, his hands still over his ears.

Another energy blast hit the barrier and it dissipated. The Avengers charged at the Doombots once more. Bucky came to Amber and Loki’s side.

“We need to get him out of here.” He pulled Loki into his arms, making the God scream in agony.

“He said Doom’s close. I don’t know what’s happening to him.” Amber took her rifle back into her arms and loaded it. “Take him somewhere safe. The back of the cafe should do.”

Bucky nodded and despite Loki’s screams, he hoisted him over his shoulder and carried him over to the back of the cafe and lay him down as gently as he could. “Loki, is there anything we can do? Should Strange take you to med bay or something?”

“No. I’ll manage. Just..” he groaned, trying to suppress the agonizing pain. “Don’t let him get away.”

“If we see him at all that is.” Bucky mumbled. He looked at the direction he came from. The building obscured his view and he needed to get back before Doom showed up. “Stay here. I’m gonna go help the others. We’ll come back for you.”

“I’ll join you.. soon..”

“Take it easy, buddy. I’ll save you some Doom.” Bucky grinned like a predator, earning him a pained smirk from Loki.

With that he jumped right back into action. Shooting Doombots that didn’t seem to stop materialising from thin air. Once he was out of ammo, he holstered his machine gun at his back and engaged in close combat, smashing Doombot heads left and right with his metal arm.

Behind the cafe, Loki struggled to ease the pain he was experiencing. It had now spread to his whole body and he ended up curling up on the ground in a fetal position. If it continued like this, he would definitely be throwing up soon and would most definitely lose consciousness. He couldn’t afford that. Now not. Not when they were so close.

He slowly willed himself to sit up and carefully cast a healing spell. It didn’t do much aside from slightly numbing the pain in his body. His head kept hurting as if someone was smashing it with Mjolnir.

He heard heavy footsteps approaching and before he could open his eyes, a cold object was pressed beneath his jaw and his blood froze in his veins. He could recognize the deadly humming coming from that particular object from miles away.

“On your feet, princeling.” Doom spoke, pressing the dagger against Loki’s skin. “Careful not to nick yourself.” Had his face been visible under the iron mask, Loki would have seen the smirk on his face.

Loki managed to stand up, minding his movements as to not accidentally draw blood. The slightest cut and he would be dead. He wouldn’t want to do that before he took his revenge.

“Now let’s go meet this team of yours, shall we? Mind your steps, we don’t want you dead without an audience now.”

Loki’s mind was working in overdrive. He needed to do something very soon and very fast. All he managed was a flick of his wrist as Doom stepped behind him, keeping the dagger under his chin and grabbing a fistful of his hair at the back of his neck. He pushed Loki forward until they reached where the fight was happening. Loki’s body felt rigid as he carefully marched forward.

Amber shot a Doombot in the head and wiped the blood off the side of her face. She was somehow bleeding, but didn’t know when exactly did she hurt her head. Because now she was seeing Loki walking over with Doom at his back.

She froze as she realized it wasn’t a hallucination and Doom was indeed walking behind Loki with a familiar dagger pointed at the God’s neck.

“No..” she breathed out, frozen in her spot. “Bucky.. he’s got Loki..” her voice was a mere whisper through the comms and Bucky looked at her, then followed her gaze and froze as well.

“Avengers, we finally meet.” Doom spoke. As he walked along with Loki to the middle of the fight. The Doombots stopped their advances, like someone had suddenly turned a switch off. Doom needed audience and a fight would be distracting.

The Avengers stared at their friend being held hostage. Iron Man was already making angle calculations on how to attack without getting Loki hurt. Any type of cut and his friend would be toast. He didn’t want that.

“What is it that you want, Viktor? Name it and it’s yours. Just let Loki go.” Tony said, landing a few feet away from the two and removing his faceplate.

“I see you upgraded your machinery to not allow being controlled by magic. Very smart, Stark.”

“Well, you know, genius billionaire and all that.” He shrugged. He noticed a movement at the back of the cafe, so he kept on talking. “Didn’t get my reputation for nothing, you know.”

“Indeed. I would love to dissect that brain of yours and mount it in a jar after I studied it.”

As Tony kept talking to Doom about random crap, trying to gain them some time. Bucky watched Loki’s face and noticed the God looking pointedly at him and then moving his eyes to the ground. 

Loki had no shadow.

Bucky smirked and loaded his machine gun, aiming it at Doom. “Tony, out of the way.” He whispered into the comm.

“Bucky, are you nuts? You’ll hurt Loki!” Came Amber’s whisper.

“I won’t.” He replied. He saw a familiar shimmer at the back of the cafe and adjusted his grip on his weapon. “Tony, on the count of three, you fly off straight up.”

“Bucky!” Amber hissed through gritted teeth, then realized Bucky must know something she didn’t. The blood dripping down her forehead was quite distracting and she kept wiping at it.

“Tony,” Bucky said, “three, two, one.”

Iron Man shot up in the sky and Bucky pulled the trigger. Doom was fast and created a barrier shield before him, deflecting Bucky’s shot.

“You thought your little distraction there worked?” Doom snickered. “I cannot imagine why would Hydra let you live. You do not possess the brain capacity for a proper attack.”

Amber took a step forward, but Doom turned to her. “Ah, the girlfriend. Have you managed to spend some good time with your lover boy? Hold on to the memories, for you won’t be making any new ones.”

With that, he turned Loki to face Amber and pressed the tip of the dagger to the side of his neck. “Say bye-bye.”

Amber shook her head, tears flowing down her cheeks. This wasn’t happening. No, it had to be a nightmare. He couldn’t. He wouldn’t. Loki stood frozen, looking at her with tearful eyes himself. He didn’t dare to speak, for any movement might cause the dagger to scratch his skin.

Doom drove the dagger in one swift movement into Loki’s neck.

“NOOOO!” Amber shrieked and ran to Loki as Doom released his grip on him and let the body drop to the ground.

Bucky chose that moment to pull the trigger again, hitting Doom in the chest and sending him toppling over.

“Loki, Loki, stay with me. Please. Stay with me.” Amber held him in her arms. His blood covering her hands as his body convulsed. “Stay with me, please.”

“Amber.. I.. I’m.. s-”

“It’s okay, reserve your energy. You don’t need to say anything. Just stay with me.”

The Doombots were activated again and the Avengers were once more engaging in fight. Thor had been frozen in his spot as he watched the whole thing unravel in front of him. Once the fight consumed again, he was finally shaken out of his haze and rushed to his brother’s side.

“Loki.. brother..” 

“Thor.. dagger.. out..”

Thor blinked for a moment and then it clicked. He look at Bucky engaging Doom in close combat and turned to his brother. He remembered what his brother had told him once.

“Well played, brother.” Thor wiped his tears and smiled before he pulled the dagger out.

Loki’s body went rigid and his skin turned a pale grey. Jotun markings rising over his skin as life left him.

“Noooo!” Amber held on to Loki’s body and cried her heart out. She never wanted this to happen. Tonight was supposed to be a pleasant evening. She had just confessed her love to him over a song and he was brutally snatched from her.

“Amber, it’s alright.” Thor said, laying a gentle palm over her shoulder.

“How could you say that?” she glared at him, breathing heavily between sobs. She then looked at Loki’s lifeless body in her arms and then her gaze fell on the dagger Thor had left on the ground.

She carefully lay Loki’s body down and grabbed the dagger. “Let’s see who’s going to say bye-bye now.”

“Amber, wait..” Thor was too late and she was up and running towards Bucky and Doom, hell-bent on revenge. Because of that she didn’t see Loki’s body dissipate into a golden shimmer and disappear.

“Out of the way, Buck.” She growled and charged at Doom, taking over the fight. She used the dagger to her advantage. Slashing and stabbing, though Doom skilfully dodged her every movement.

“Amber..” Bucky joined the fight again. They were taking turns in fighting Doom.

“You will not get away with it. Not today.” She kicked Doom in the chest and attacked with the dagger. He dodged her again.

She threw the dagger into the air and when it came back she caught it in a backward grip. But before she charged at him again, Doom’s body went rigid as three colours of ropes wrapped around him, preventing his movements and made him hover a foot above the ground. That made Amber stop and stare.

“W- what’s happening..” Doom’s voice sounded worried, almost panicking as he saw Doctor Strange and the Scarlet Witch approach them, their hands moving in certain patterns to keep the ropes in place. “Two sorcerers cannot summon three strings.. what are you doing?” 

“Very perceptive.” A familiar voice said and Amber snapped her face around, almost dropping the dagger onto her foot.

The air on Strange’s side rippled and shimmered, and Loki appeared, alive and well. “The third would be mine.” He made a fist and pulled, one of the strings wrapped around Doom’s neck, cutting his air supply. “Who wants to go first?” he looked at Amber.

She didn’t know how or why, but he was alive. Her heart skipped a beat and she beamed at him.

She missed her turn as Bucky grabbed Doom’s chest plate and pushed him to the ground with force.

Doom felt the air get knocked out of him with that. It didn’t help that he was also suffocating. And then Bucky grabbed his mask and pulled it off by force. Doom screamed in agony as the mask was ripped off his face, taking chunks of flesh along with it. That didn’t phase Bucky, though both Strange and Wanda had to avert their gazes. Amber’s attention was on Loki the whole time, and his on her.

Bucky started punching the deformed face. Taking a year long frustration and anger out on the man who put them all through hell. Who ruined his best friend’s life and was back to ruin it even more.

“Alright, if he goes on he’ll kill him.” Strange noted when he saw Bucky showed no signs of stopping.

“Barnes, save some for us, will you?” Loki was calm, with a feral grin on his face as he kept looking at Amber. “Doctor, you and the Witch may go.”

“What? No! We need to bring him in.” Strange protested.

Iron Man was listening to the conversation, so he joined in. “Actually, we could use some magical help here. Doc, Wanda, a hand please?”

Loki’s hold on Doom was enough to keep him on the ground as Strange and Wanda pulled their magic away and went to join the fight with the others.

“Reindeer Games,” Tony spoke through a private line in Loki’s ear. “Merry Christmas, buddy.”

Loki grinned and motioned for Amber to get her turn. She smirked as she looked at the dagger and then at Loki. “Can you charm it so it doesn’t instantly kill?”

“Of course.” He took the dagger and placed his palm over it as he started an incantation. Once done, he handed it back to her. “It will only work on him and will last until it’s my turn. So be careful not to hurt yourself.”

“Don’t plan to.” She grabbed him by the collar and pulled him down for a kiss. “We’ll talk about that stunt of yours later.” Her voice was low and Loki knew he was in some sort of trouble, not that it prevented him from smiling. Amber let go of him and walked over to Bucky, tapping his shoulder. “My turn.”

Bucky was panting as he stood up. “Give him hell.”

“Oh I plan to.” She said and got on one knee next to the fallen sorcerer. “Let’s see how you like your arms being mutilated.” She dug the tip of the dagger into Doom’s shoulder and slowly pulled it down, cutting his flesh open all the way to his hand. Then she went back to the shoulder and repeated it. Doom’s screams were only muffled by the explosions caused by Iron Man’s repulsors.

“That’s how I have been feeling for the past year. Every. Single. Day.” She emphasized the words with a harsh drag of the knife, making Doom scream again. Once satisfied, she moved on to the other arm and did the same. Only after mutilating both his arms did she stand up and turned to Loki. Her eyes were full of unshed tears, but she had a wide smile on her face as she looked at him.

He walked up to her and kissed her in such fervour, like it was the last thing he would ever do. He then took the dagger from her and made it disappear into one of his pocket dimensions. He turned his gaze to Doom, who was writhing in pain, struggling to breathe and not able to move due to the restraints Loki had him in.

“You have caused us so much agony the past year. You ruined our lives. You dared to go against the Crown Prince of New Asgard. The rightful King of Jotunheim.” He stepped forward until he was towering over Doom. “Do you know that is a crime punishable by death?”

Doom didn’t have a voice to respond anymore. Nor did he have any strength left to fight against Loki’s restraints. 

“It won’t be quick though. That’s no fun. Too merciful.” Loki said and leaned down on him, grabbing his chest plate and pulled it off like it was nothing. Then he knelt on top of Doom’s abdomen. “You will wish you were dead.” He growled and dug his hand into the sorcerer’s chest, pulling out his beating heart, veins and arteries still attached to it and waved his other hand to muffle Doom’s screams. “Such a nuance. There are people sleeping at this time of night, you know.” He said as he turned the still pumping heart in his hand. Amber walked over to Bucky, turning her gaze from the view before them. Bucky wrapped his arms around her as he watched in silence.

“I curse you, Viktor von Doom. I curse you with a life that knows no rest. I curse you with eternal pain every time you take a breath. You will never know peace, Viktor von Doom, nor will your loved ones.” Loki’s voice was a dangerous growl as he spoke, uttering every word slowly. Once he was done with his curse, he grabbed Doom’s chin and forced his jaws open. He then shoved the heart into Doom’s own mouth. “Your magic will not help you with this.” He snarled and stood up. 

Loki looked at the direction the fight was happening and spread his arms and started chanting in a language neither Amber nor Bucky could understand. Doombots started dropping on the spot and the fight was suddenly over.

“Amber, is this satisfactory?” he walked over to her, running his palm over her hair, though careful not to touch her with filthy hands.

She took a quick look a Doom, who was still pinned to the ground, eyes wide open in shock and heart lodged in his mouth, still beating.

“Eternal agony, you told him?”

“Indeed.”

“Then it’s very satisfactory.”

“Death would have been merciful.” Bucky said. “He doesn’t get that privilege.”

“Let’s go home then.”

“SHIELD is coming for clean-up.” Iron Man’s voice was heard once more. “Gandalf is opening a portal to the compound if anyone needs a ride.”

“I’ll take us.” Loki grabbed both his friends and in a mist of green they disappered.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quite the change of pace from the last chapter lol I originally wasn't planning on bringing Doom to the party just yet, but he decided to show up *shrugs*
> 
> Loki taking Doom's heart out was the scene that started this whole story. I had the image in my head, and the story simply wrote itself and we finally got there.
> 
> I have a very vivid and disturbing imagination sometimes. I don't know what that says about me lol (though despite that, I refuse to watch horror movies. They scare me shitless!)
> 
> Would love to hear your thoughts about it!


	25. Chapter 25

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for the comments on the previous chapter!
> 
> Have some mild smut 😉

They appeared at med bay the same moment Strange’s portal opened and the rest of the team walked through. The medical staff immediately spread among them, evaluating the extent of the damages and starting various treatments.

Bucky pulled both Loki and Amber into a tight three-way hug. “We did it.” He whispered. He couldn’t stop grinning.

“We did it.” Amber replied, relief washing over her as her heart beat frantically against her chest while they hugged. She grabbed them both by the hair at the back of their necks, first pulling Bucky in for a harmless peck on the lips and then turned to Loki and just went for it.

Bucky chuckled as he took a step back, giving them some space and he looked around for Natasha, who walked over to him with a slight limp and a smirk tugging at the corner of her lip. “Should I be jealous now?”

“Too late for that,” he grinned and pulled her in for a kiss. “How are you?”

“Nothing that a good night’s sleep won’t fix, thanks to Loki healing me after the explosion.”

“Hey, hey! What was that?” Sam approached them, pointing an accusing finger between them.

“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Natasha smirked, while Bucky shrugged.

A nurse interrupted Amber and Loki’s shameless kissing session, and urged Amber to sit in a wheelchair to be taken to a treatment room, because of an obvious head injury. Amber protested at first, saying she felt well enough to walk. But as the rush of adrenalin started leaving her system, she changed her mind.

Natasha went back to check on the others, glad by the nurse’s interruption. She wasn’t keen on making an official announcement about herself and Bucky. If the team figured it out, so be it. But they weren’t going to hold out banners that said ‘we’re kind of dating’ in neon colours for everyone to see. 

Bucky and Loki went with Amber to the treatment room and waited patiently as the doctor examined her head.  


“You got lucky.” The old man said, “you only need a couple of stitches and a good night’s rest.”

“Is that why I’m feeling cold?”

“Indeed. It’s the exhaustion and the blood loss. Seeing you haven’t passed out so far, you haven’t lost enough to warrant an IV.” He smiled at her as he grabbed a syringe. “Time for some local anaesthetic.”

“Ugh,”

“You get shot and you don’t break a sweat. Yet you ‘ugh’ at a needle?” Bucky snorted.

“Not the needle.” She huffed, while the doctor started working on her. “The local anaesthetic. The most annoying feeling ever. I hate that partially numb feeling.”

“You won’t feel much of it over your scalp, agent Bishop.” The doctor mused, changing the direction of the needle after every injection.

“Oh yeah? Watch me complain about it in an hour when my head goes all tingly.”

That made the doctor chuckle and put the syringe onto a tray. The nurse handed him the needle and surgical thread. “I could have shaved your head, you know?”

“You wouldn’t dare.” She pulled her head away and glared at him with wide eyes.

“I would if it was needed. Lucky for you, it’s not.” He grinned. “Now stop moving and let me do my job.”

Loki and Bucky were smirking from the side as they watched the interaction. It seemed that despite the gruesome events a few minutes ago, Amber appeared to be in a good mood.

“Kid, we’ll go grab some coffee. Want some?”

“Please. A macchiato or something. Then add an extra shot of espresso to that.”

“I wouldn’t recommend that, agent.” The doctor noted, but then shrugged when she glared at him and continued stitching her up.

“Alright.” Bucky nudged Loki and they walked out of the room, heading to the coffee machine.

“That was some stunt you pulled there, mister.” Bucky said as they walked through the hallway. “Body double?”

“Yep.” Loki popped the ‘p’ and grinned.

“You’re going to get an earful later, just so you know.”

“It’ll be worth it. We’re done with the cretin.”

“He won’t be able to magic his way out of the curse, would he?”

“Only I or a high elven priestess would be able to do that. And I doubt he would be able to find one around.” He smirked and Bucky mirrored it.

“Good.”

-*-*-*-*-*-

After being stitched up and caffeinated, Amber went to check on Michelle. She found her sleeping in the ICU, face completely wrapped up in bandages, with only one eye, nose and mouth left unwrapped. The minor gashes over her body were taped with small plasters and the bigger ones wrapped in bandages. Two IV lines were connected to her, one blood and one saline liquid.

Amber watched her friend through the glass from outside the room, tears filling her eyes as she watched the heart monitor registering her heart beat and blood pressure. Approaching footsteps made her wipe her eyes and then grimaced at herself, realising she was still covered in her and Doom’s blood.

“Hey,” it was Peter.

“Hey kid,” she smiled at him and took him into her arms for a hug. “How are you? How’s May?”

“She’s good. Just woke up a few minutes ago.” He clung to Amber, his shoulders trembling slightly.

She ran a hand over his head. “She’ll be alright, kid. She’s just sedated on drugs and a sleeping spell. She’ll be alright.”

“I can’t lose her, boss.” There was defeat in his voice as he suppressed the urge to cry.

“You won’t.” She pulled back a bit to look him in the face. “I promise you she’ll make it through. Loki healed as much as he could before he brought her here.”

He took her word for it, since he hadn’t seen Loki healing her at the cafe. So much had been going on at the moment of the explosion, that he could barely remember any of it.

“Would you want to go inside and be with her?” she asked softly.

“I do, but I need to shower first. She’d be pissed if I sat there like this.” He chuckled and wiped his eyes.

“Then go shower. I’ll wait here until you come back.”

“Thanks, boss. You’re the best.” He grinned and hugged her once more, before he darted away to quickly shower and come back.

“You really are the best.” She turned to look at the source, smiling as Loki walked over and wrapped his arms around her. “I’ll stay with you.”

“Thanks.” She leaned her back against his chest and held the arms that were around her.

“Bucky and Natasha are in the conference room. Fury is on the line and has quite the vocabulary about Doom.”

“Not our problem anymore.” Her gaze was fixated on Michelle, though she could see Loki’s reflection on the glass looking at her with a sombre smile on his face. “Was it satisfactory, to you?”

He gave it a thought. They all had their turn. They all had gotten their revenge. The only thing was that Amber’s physical scars will never disappear. The emotional ones, however, those would need some time and he would be there every step of the way.

He enjoyed listening to the bone breaking punches Bucky was delivering the sorcerer. Watching Amber mutilate the sorcerer’s arms, the look of feral pleasure in her eyes as she executed her revenge was, simply put, arousing. Digging Doom’s heart out and lodging it in his mouth was his personal cherry on top.

“Yes.” He finally said, smiling and gently kissing her temple. “Yes it was.”

-*-*-*-*-*-

By the time Peter came back after his shower, Amber felt her limbs become heavy as exhaustion was hitting her at full force. She could barely stand on her feet. Once Peter went into the ICU to stay with Michelle, Amber turned to Loki. “Take me to your room?”

He held her by her waist and teleported to his bedroom at the compound. While Amber lay on the edge of his bed, he went to the bathroom and started filling up the bathtub.

He worked his magic to summon clean clothes for her, which appeared over his bed. Amber tilted her head and smiled at how considerate he was. He then walked over to her and held his hand for her to get up. She grabbed it and sat up.

“What’s your plan for the night?” she asked, tilting her head sideways and giving him a tired smile.

“First, a shower to get the grime off. Then a bath, followed by sleep.” He spoke as he helped her up and they walked into the bathroom.

“I like the idea.” She said as she took her boots off and started taking off the layers of protective gear she was wearing.

“I can do it in an instant, if you want.”

“Go for it.” She stopped fighting the buckles on her vest and spread her arms. With only a look, Loki made her clothes shimmer and dissolve around her, then appeared neatly folded on top of the laundry basket. Her boots had moved to stand near the bedroom door. 

The fact that she was now standing completely naked before him did not seem to phase her. While he had seen her topless before, she had so far never been completely naked around him. The thought alone made Loki’s insides burn with desire, though he had to restrain himself. Tonight they were going to rest. Nothing more. That didn’t stop him from admiring her curves, the way her breasts perked against her chest, how her arms lazily came to rest at her sides as she turned and walked towards the bathroom. Her body made a warm shiver run down his spine. He wanted to touch and taste every inch of her, to make her moan in ecstasy and scream his name as he buried his face between those luscious thighs.

Licking his lips, he kept that thought in mind as his own clothes shimmered away as he followed her to the bathroom. He stepped first into the shower cabin to turn the water on. Once it was an acceptable temperature for a Midgardian, he beckoned Amber to join him and she did so.

They washed each other slowly, intimately. Until the last signs of the fight had flushed away through the shower drain. After rinsing the soap off, Loki turned the shower off and led her to the bathtub.

He got in first and she followed, sitting between his legs and leaning her back against his chest. The water temperature was perfect. Not too warm and not cold either. He had cast a relaxing spell onto the bath oil, making the whole bathroom smell like lavenders.

“This is nice.” Her voice was soft. Her hands were lazily running over his thighs, while his own were over hers. He was placing small, soft kisses over her shoulders, nibbling on the skin every now and then.

“Indeed, it is.”

She felt like she was floating among clouds. Whatever type of bath oil he had used had a pleasant effect on her tense muscles. She felt relaxed, her eyes closing on their own as sleep was starting to claim her.

She turned her head to the side and they kissed. Very slowly, taking their time as if for the first time. Amber grabbed Loki’s wrists and wrapped his arms around her waist. His heart skipped a beat as he realized his hand was resting on the scars of her abdomen and she didn’t mind. He sighed into the kiss, a soft groan escaping his throat.

“Let’s go to bed.” She whispered against his lips. “I can’t keep my eyes open anymore.”

They got out of the tub, dried themselves and Loki used magic to dry their hair. Then, out of the blue, he carried her and took her to bed.

They didn’t bother with clothes. They fell asleep almost immediately as soon as the lay down in each other’s embrace.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Waking up in each other’s arms was simply the best feeling ever. Waking up in each other’s arms, bodies tightly pressed against each other, with no clothing getting in the way? Now that was the epitome of ecstasy.

There was no shyness between them when they stirred awake. The sun had been shining through the curtains for a few hours and neither of them bothered about the time of day. Hands were exploring skin, legs tangled together as they craved more of each other.

Her lips found his in a tender brush. His breath tickled the tip of her nose and she nuzzled his cheek. Her heart was beating ferociously against her chest. Her breathing became shallow as he dipped his head and started kissing her neck. His hands ventured over her body, exploring every dip and curve. She sighed and he brought his lips back up to capture hers in a breath-taking kiss. Amber felt the world spinning around her in a rush she hadn’t felt before.

Whether it was an after-shock effect from the previous evening’s fight against Doom, she didn’t know. Nor did she care. She kissed him back, parting her lips and giving him the green light to deepen it.

Loki groaned as he deepened the kiss. His hand moved over the curves of her hips and down to her thigh. He pulled it over his own as he rocked his hips forward, his building erection meeting the warm skin between her thighs.

He then moved them so Amber was laying on her back and he was on top of her. They only broke the kiss to breathe, and resumed soon after. His hands found her breasts and he gently teased them, running his thumbs over the perked nipples.

“Too gentle.” Amber managed to breath as he moved on to kiss her neck.

He smirked against her skin and squeezed her breasts. At the same time he sucked hard at the crook of her neck, causing Amber to moan and arch her back.

Taking that as a positive sign, he did it again and received the same reaction.

Her hands moved over his back, nails digging into the skin and creating pink lines in their track. He kissed his way down to her breasts, paying each close attention. Kissing, nibbling and then sucking hard on them, making Amber moan at the waves of warmth that coursed through her whole being. She shivered as he grazed his teeth around her nipple before sucking hard on it, causing her to arch her back again. “Oh God.. do that again..” her breaths were coming out in short huffs as desire just kept building up within her.

Loki did as he was told. At the same time, he brought a hand down to her clit, teasing it with the tip of his fingers and basking in the feeling of how wet she was for him. If anyone were to pass the bedroom door, they would have heard her moans as Loki kept on pleasuring her.

The way she writhed under him, the way her voice pierced through his veins turned him on so much he felt he could cum right then and there. But he wasn’t done with her yet. Not for a while, at least.

He slipped two fingers into her as he kissed her photostatic veil covered abdomen. Her breath got caught in her throat as he started moving his hand, making her move her hips. When he curved his fingers and the tips grazed her G-spot, she thought she saw stars. “Fuck..” she moaned, louder than intended.

“With pleasure.” He smirked, taking his hand out and licking his fingers before he moved to tower over her. He leaned down and caught her lips in a heated kiss as he entered her. Amber’s moans were muffled by the kiss and she wrapped her legs around his waist, moving her hips in sync with his thrusts.

His lips found her neck as he kept a steady rhythm. He sucked hard on the sweat covered skin, making Amber shudder. “Loki..” her voice was a mere whisper, “I’m close.. don’t stop..”

He brought a hand down to her clit, making her arch her back as she felt fireworks. She couldn’t stop the tremors in her body even if she tried as the waves of orgasm washed over her. Loki felt her walls constrict around him, bringing him closer to the edge. “I’m close too..” he groaned against her neck and she dropped her legs to the side as he slid out of her and sat back. She got on all four and took his erection into her mouth, with her hand at the base and started stroking him and rolling her tongue around the head. Loki grabbed her hair at the back of her neck with one hand and balanced himself with the other. He dropped his head back and thrust into her mouth until orgasm hit him, sending jolts of electricity through his whole being while Amber took the load and swallowed.

She wiped the corner of her mouth as she got on her knees and pulled him into a kiss. He could taste himself on her tongue, which made him let out a satisfied groan as he held her close.

They dropped on the bed, both spent and satiated. Both dripping in sweat and trying to catch their breaths. They looked into each other’s eyes and grinned.

“Good morning,” Amber said, bringing her hand to his chin and gently running her knuckles over the sweaty skin.

“Good morning.” Loki kissed her knuckles and looked back at her, the grin never leaving his face.

“Remind me to sleep naked more often.”

“That can be managed.” His eyes gleamed.

After cuddling in bed for a while, they finally hit the shower and got dressed. After a quick breakfast, or rather lunch, they headed to med bay to check on Michelle and May.

First they made a stop at the room May Parker was in. She had awakened last night already and was feeling better. She would be going home later in the evening. Amber was pleased to hear that.

Then they went to the room where Michelle was. When they got there, they saw Peter still sitting on a chair near the bed, his head on the mattress and he was sleeping. Michelle seemed to still be in deep sleep.

“Is she supposed to sleep this long?”

“Yes. The sleeping spell helps her body recover. I can either wake her up, slowing the healing process, or let her sleep until she wakes up on her own.” Loki replied.

“And you can’t tell how long that would be.”

“It depends on her, really. Or rather, her body. She’s young and determined. My guess is she’d wake up by dinner time.” He wrapped an arm around her shoulders. “Do not worry, dearest.”

“Can’t help it.” She looked at him, smiling though her eyes were becoming wet. Then she looked around and furrowed her brows. “Has anyone informed her family?”

“It appears that Miss Jones does not have a family as such.” FRIDAY spoke.

Amber’s eyes grew wide. “What do you mean she doesn’t have a family?”

“According to my database, Miss Jones has been living with a foster family, but does not have a good relationship with them.”

“And I have not been informed about this because?” she held on to Loki as she started getting angry at not being informed about this. No wonder Michelle never spoke about her family!

“Miss Jones had once expressed a strong desire to not let her home situation be known. She assumed people would treat her differently if they knew.” Tony walked into view. “Hey guys.”

“I’m guessing you’ve known that for a while?” Amber glared at him.

“Since the first day I met her.” Tony shrugged. “And before you get your knickers in a twist, kid,” he turned his gaze to the teenagers in the ICU, “I gave her my word I wouldn’t tell anyone. And you know I don’t break my word.” He looked at Amber again, a sad smile on his face. “Sorry, kid.”

“But you just did.” Loki raised an eyebrow.

“Technically, FRIDAY spilled the beans first.” Tony shrugged with a smirk, but then as soon as it appeared, the smirk faded and he turned his gaze to Michelle and Peter. “I guess it’s good I hadn’t asked FRIDAY to keep the secret as well.” 

“You have, Sir. Only you didn’t specify for how long. Agent Bishop’s question needed an answer and I wasn’t instructed to alter the information in this case.” FRIDAY spoke.

“A loophole? Well, oops.” Tony shrugged once more.

Amber sighed, trying to collect herself and she nodded. “I would have appreciated being informed sooner. Could have arranged something for her.” And suddenly, a lightbulb sparked in her head. “Might still be able to.” She smirked, looking at Loki, who smirked back, knowing exactly where she was going with this and nodded.

“You want to adopt her.” Tony smiled. He had seen how Amber and Michelle interacted at the cafe in the past. So much in sync, one would think they were related. It did not surprise him that Amber would want to adopt Michelle.

Amber nodded. “She’s dropped the hint a few times at work. Every time I took it as a joke. A teenager being pissed at everyone at home? Who hasn’t had that period in life? But now..” she turned her gaze to Michelle’s sleeping form, “now I know there was more to that.”

“I can get my lawyers start the paperwork.”

“You’d do that for us?” she turned to Tony, who gasped.

“Amber Bishop, you insult me.” 

“An adoption process is not the same as building something?!” she protested.

“And you’ll need all the help you can get as she’s almost an adult. I hear the paperwork can be a bitch.” He shrugged. “Let me know what you decide. Maybe talk to her first? I’ll be around.” He winked and left them, heading to the workshop.

“And what do you think of this?” Amber turned to Loki.

He took her hand and led her to the waiting area to sit down. “I think it’s a great idea. Michelle is a good kid and deserves a caring parent.” He turned to look at her, “I don’t think anyone in this realm would be able to provide that for her the way you would.

He turned his gaze to the room, a somber smile on his face and then looked back at Amber. “There’s something I’ve been meaning to tell you since yesterday.”

“What is it?” she took his hands in hers, looking into his eyes as she felt worried, given the serious look on his face.

“Not here.” 

With a shimmering green smoke, he teleported them back to his room and they were sitting at the edge of his bed. They were still holding hands, the same way they were an instant ago.

“Amber,” he took a deep breath in an attempt to calm his nerves that suddenly seemed to be in a jumble. He had wanted to do this for a while now, but he’d been waiting until they took care of Doom. He had always thought it would be easy, given the determination he had to only do it when he took his revenge. But now that the moment was there, he was suddenly nervous.

“Loki, what is it?” She raised a hand and brought it to his cheek. “Talk to me.” Her voice was soft as she noticed how his hands were trembling.

“Ever since you were injured, I had made a promise to myself.” He took another deep breath and looked at her. “I couldn’t bare being around you while Doom got away with what he did. He almost destroyed our relationship, our lives, us.”

“But he didn’t.” She smiled. “And we took care of it last night.”

He nodded, “that we did. Which was a part of my promise to myself.”

“What’s the other part then?” her mind went to several directions on what that could be. One was pretty dominant, though. Was he thinking about moving to New Asgard? And seeing how nervous he was, was he considering to ask her to go with him? It would be a huge move for her, given that she has a life in New York and a successful business to run. Not that the business was spared in yesterday’s fight. She’ll have to do a lot of work to get it back up and running. So, maybe if he asked her to move to New Asgard with him, it wouldn’t be a bad idea. She could even ask Michelle if she’d want to join them.

He felt a lump in his throat as he struggled to form the words. Why was it so difficult? Was it ego? Or was it just nerves because of how long it had taken him to get there? He didn’t know anymore. But he needed to say it. 

“Amber,” his breaths came in shudders. He felt his whole body fighting against the words he wanted to say. It simply was against his nature, and his body’s reaction was letting him know of it.

He got off the bed and knelt before her. Amber started blinking as her mind went into overdrive. Was he about to propose? Now? Her heart was beating frantically against her chest at that moment and she had no clue how to respond if he actually popped the question right now.

“Amber, my dearest, my soul, ever since your injury I made a promise to myself not to rest until I brought the person behind the attack down. It cost us our relationship. We fell apart. It was the most agonizing year of my life.” He ran a trembling thumb over the back of her hand, cherishing the skin-like feeling it gave. It felt like her own. “When I saw you for the first time again at the little gathering here, it renewed my determination to go through with my plans. And then we managed to reconcile. In a sense, being stabbed with the Silver Dagger was a blessing.” He let out a nervous chuckle. “As it brought us back together, and even more.”

Amber was silently listening to him, fighting against tears that threatened to burst at any moment.

“Amber Bishop,” he strengthened the hold on her hands, more for himself than anything, “from the bottom of my heart, I apologize.”

Amber thought her heart stopped at that moment. She couldn’t believe what she was hearing. Loki Odinson, the God of Mischief, the Crown Prince of New Asgard, her boyfriend, her lover, her everything, on his knees before her and.. _apologizing_.

“I apologize for letting my resentment against unexplained orders get the better of me. I apologize for diverging from mission orders, which caused the chain reaction and resulted in getting you hurt. I apologize for leaving you a whole month without saying anything. I apologize for avoiding you after coming back and pretending everything was fine. I apologize for kissing you for the wrong reasons.” Loki let the words just flow. Once he started, he couldn’t stop anymore. By that time they were both crying as they looked at each other.

“I apologize for keeping secrets from you. I apologize for hurting you. I apologize, Amber. I..”

She shook her head as she couldn’t take it anymore. This was more than she had been wanting to hear for a whole year now and he delivered it tenfold. She grabbed his face and started kissing him.

“Please forgive me.” He said between kisses, which made her start sobbing and wrapped her arms around him, burying her face into the crook of his neck as she joined him kneeling on the floor.

She couldn’t form words and kept on crying. He simply held her against him, gently running his hand through her hair as her body shook against his.

They didn’t know how long they had been kneeling on the floor, both crying in each other’s arms. Once Amber’s sobs subsided into gentle hiccups, she pulled back a bit to look him in the eyes and smiled. “This was more than I had ever wanted to hear. All I ever wanted to hear was a simple ‘I’m sorry’ and all would have been good. But, no, you had to go an make a big deal out of it.” She chuckled, running her thumbs over his cheeks and wiping his tears away, making him chuckle as well.

“It was a big deal.” He whispered.

“I know now. And I like the sentiment behind it.” She placed a gentle kiss over his lips, tasting tears. “And you’re forgiven. You’ve already been forgiven for a while, in case you hadn’t noticed.” She leaned her forehead against his and closed her eyes. “I love you, Loki.” She whispered.

He raised her chin and she opened her eyes. His heart bursting with joy upon hearing her words. “I love you too, Amber. Always have and I always will.” He kissed her once more, this time with such passion neither of them had experienced before.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Holy marbles he did it!


	26. Chapter 26

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This had turned into a 7k+ word chapter, so I had to edit a bit. I cut a chunk off to add to the next chapter, just so this one wasn't too long.
> 
> Anyway, I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. This story was originally supposed to end by Loki apologizing, but when I got there, it didn't feel right anymore. The muses have decided that I need to put in some more work.
> 
> Starting from this chapter, it's going to be on a writing as I go basis. School is meddling with fun once more and _unfortunately_ I have to set priorities... _again_.
> 
> Also, thanks for the comments on the previous chapter!

She couldn’t believe what had just happened. Loki’s apology speech had rendered her speechless. It was more than she had ever hoped to hear from him. The fact that he apologized while kneeling before her was just the icing on the cake. Amber didn’t even know how to feel anymore. She was touched. She was humbled. She felt loved.

She couldn’t stop smiling, nor could she stop crying. She sat down on the floor, leaning against the bed with Loki by her side. Both their eyes red and puffy from the amount of crying. The only consolation for both was the fact that it had been happy tears.

They stared into each other’s eyes. Their gazes full of love for each other. No words were spoken for a long while. They didn’t even care to count how long they had been sitting on the floor, holding hands.

Their silent moment came to an end when there was a knock on the door, followed by the handle being turned. Loki already knew who it was, since only two people in the whole nine realms were allowed to enter his room without prior invitation and one of them was sitting next to him.

“Hey,” Bucky’s smile disappeared and dread filled his mind the moment he saw two sets of red eyes and tear streaked faces sitting on the floor. “What happened.. is Michelle alright?”

“Oh God, yes she’s fine!” Amber wiped her face and stood up. Bucky walked over and took her into his arms.

“Then what happened here? You guys okay?” He looked at Loki, who had stood up as well, wiping his own face.

“Loki apologized.” She smiled, turning her face to look at the God standing next to them, while she was being embraced by her best friend.

“You’re kidding.” Bucky gasped, relief washing over him as he looked at Loki, who shrugged, smiling. “And you didn’t pull a muscle or something in the process?”

Loki just shook his head, chuckling. “It was excruciating.”

“Oh hush you,” Amber reached over and lightly slapped his arm. “It was beautiful.” She smiled at him.

“Well, I’m happy for you, kid.” Bucky tightened his hold of her and kissed the top of her head. “For the both of you, in fact. I’m glad you finally sorted that out.” He looked at Loki, smiling.

“Thanks, old man.” She leaned her cheek against his chest, but reached out for Loki. Once he took her hand she pulled him into the hug and the three of them stood there together, with her sandwiched between her two favorite men.

After a moment they let go of each other and Loki motioned for them to take a seat. “So what brought you here in the first place, Barnes?”

“Natasha took Clint and Laura back to their place, so I thought I’d come and see what you guys were up to.” Bucky pulled the desk chair and sat down, while Loki and Amber sat on the edge of the bed.

“We were visiting Michelle earlier, then we came here.” Amber looked at Loki, a loving smile adorning her face.

“How’s Michelle doing? Didn’t get the chance to visit.”

She turned her attention to Bucky. “Still recovering under a sleeping spell.”

“Depending on her resilience and her body, she should be waking up around dinner.” Loki added.

“How about we have dinner with her when she wakes up?” 

“That’s.. not a bad idea.”

“She will need sustenance. I suspect so will Peter.”

They agreed to have dinner once Michelle was awake. Since she was kept under Loki’s sleeping spell, they trusted his judgement on when she would wake up and also about the fact that she’d need to eat. There was only so much a saline solution can provide and it never included pleasing your taste buds.

-*-*-*-*-*-

The rest of the day was spent lounging in the communal area for Bucky, joined by Loki every now and then, while Amber spent the time with Peter at med bay, keeping a sleeping Michelle company.

Around dinner time, Amber was out in the hallway talking to Loki when Michelle started stirring. Groaning in pain as she opened the one good eye. Peter was instantly on his feet and to her side.

“Hey MJ,” he grinned as tears instantly rolled down his cheeks.

“Hurts..” she groaned and brought a bandaged hand to her face.

“Just.. don’t touch anything.” Peter was about to panic as he gently pulled her hand away from her face. “You’re bandaged all over. You’ll be fine, MJ.”

Michelle’s breathing was rapid as her nostrils flared. Nevertheless, the managed a nod and closed her eye. It broke Peter’s heart having to see her like this, a single tear rolling down her cheek.

“Is there anything I can do for you?” he spoke softly, wiping his own tears away.

“Thirsty.”

He grabbed a glass of water and a straw, helped her sit up just enough to take a sip and then lay back down. Peter set the glass aside and remained standing, gently taking her hand in his. His heart was frantically beating against his chest, not really sure what to do next. Should he call for someone? A doctor? Amber? Loki? Mr. Stark?

As if someone had heard his thoughts, the doctor entered the room, followed by a nurse. Peter was asked to wait outside while they ran some tests. He stood behind the glass doors, biting the tip of his thumb as he watched them work.

Amber and Loki came soon after. He turned to them and grinned. “She’s awake.”

“FRIDAY told us.” Amber grinned back and wrapped an arm around him as they watched the doctor checking data on a tablet, while the nurse was injecting something into the IV bag.

“Would they be mad if I tried to finish healing her?” Loki asked. He could definitely speed things up, if it didn’t land any of them into trouble.

“Since when do you care if they’d be mad?” Amber turned to him with a raised eyebrow.

“They have been very caring of the both of us. I feel they earned a three second courtesy.” He smirked.

Amber shook her head, while Peter snorted. “Well, you can always ask them.” She said as the doctor started walking towards the door, followed soon by the nurse.

Once they were out, Peter darted inside, leaving Amber and Loki to talk to them.

“She’s doing much better than expected. The wounds would take some time to heal. I will be running some tests on her eye tomorrow, to see the extent of the damage so far and how recovery is going.” He turned to Loki, “whatever it was that you did, it helped.”

“I’m pleased to hear that, doctor.” Loki inclined his head. “And if I may, I’d like to further heal her.”

“I’d say it’s safe to do so. But be careful with her eye. I’d like to examine it first thing tomorrow. Also, see if she’s up for it. She’s still a bit groggy from sedation.”

“Thank you, doc.” Amber smiled.

“Yes, indeed, thank you.”

As the doctor and nurse walked away, the both of them went into the room. Amber immediately went for Michelle and carefully hugged her.

“I’m so happy you’re awake.” She whispered, her eyes tearing up. “And I’m so sorry you had to go through that.”

“I’ll be fine, boss. The doctor said I should be find in a couple of days.”

Amber looked at her, smiling and nodding. “How are you feeling now?”

“Like I’ve been run over by a tank.” Michelle tried hard to keep her eye open. “And sleepy.”

“Then sleep. We’ll be here and later we can have dinner together.”

“Club sandwich. From that place we went to.” She said as she closed her eye.

Amber turned to Peter, grinning, “and you? Anything you’d like?”

“I’m good.” He said, smiling.

“Right.” Amber was not taking that. “Club sandwich for dinner it is. We’ll go get those. Will see if Bucky and Natasha would join us as well.”

“Everyone would be joining.” Tony walked in. “Should I place an order?”

“I’ll take care of it, Tony.” Amber took Loki’s hand as they walked out. “Not sure about everyone fitting in here, though.”

“I’ll take care of that.” Loki squeezed her hand and smiled. “See you in a bit.” He turned to Tony and Peter before he walked out of the room with Amber.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Dinner was a whole feast. Amber had ordered enough off the menu to feed an Asgardian army. Loki had enchanted the room to become big enough for the whole team. Magic was quite handy like that. There was a table on one side of the room, where the food and drinks were placed. He set up enough seats for everyone. It was a family dinner. Even Ned, May and Happy had joined them. This arrangement was easier than having to transfer Michelle, her bed and all the machinery that came with it.

“Clint will be pissed he missed this.” Natasha noted as she bit on a sandwich.

“He’ll get over it.” Wanda spoke, while she grabbed a sandwich as well.

Michelle watched as she took small bites of her sandwich. The whole Avengers team, minus Clint Barton, were there for her. Having dinner with her. She inwardly envied the familial ties they had with each other, wished she could experience that feeling one day. But for right now, she was happy they considered her one of them, otherwise they wouldn’t have been here. She was grateful for the love she felt as she saw the whole team walk in and set up the dinner table. How Loki worked to make the room bigger to fit all of them, without it being too suffocating.

She loved watching Amber set a tray of food for the medical staff, then sending it off to them with Loki and Bucky. Michelle loved how considerate her boss was. Her eye was shining as she felt a lump in her throat. She took a deep breath and bit on her sandwich, trying to ignore the feeling in her chest.

“Hey, you ok?” Peter whispered.

“Mhmm,” she nodded, turning to look at him. “This feels good.”

He smiled at her and then looked around at the group. Their friends. Their family. “Yeah, it does.”

After dinner was finished, Loki used magic to clean up. If it weren’t for the usefulness of it, Tony would have thrown a fit about using magic within the compound. But he let it go this time.

Once everyone had left, Peter went with May and Ned, to get May ready to go home. He promised to come back the next day and stay with Michelle.

Amber and Loki were the only ones remaining in the room. Loki removed the enchantment and the room was back to its normal size.

“That is frikkin’ cool.” Michelle noted, amazed by the magic happening before her eye.

“It really is.” Amber grinned, pulling a chair and sitting down, Loki doing the same and sitting next to her. “So kid, how are you feeling? Tired enough to sleep?”

“I feel exhausted and in pain, but for some reason not sleepy yet.” The teenager lay back against the raised mattress.

“I could speed up the healing, if you’d want me to.” Loki offered. “The doctor was alright with it. He only suggested to leave the eye for the time being, because he wants to examine it first in the morning.”

“Would it hurt?”

Loki shook his head. “Not at all. You’re more likely to fall asleep, but only because of your current fatigue.”

“I’d like that.” She chuckled, “I don’t know why I’m feeling nervous about it, though.”

“I’d say it’s normal.” Amber supplied, taking Michelle’s hand in hers. “You can also say no and let your body take its time in healing.”

“Absolutely,” Loki agreed.

“Can I think about it?” she looked at Loki.

“Take all the time you need.” His smile was gentle. “I’m not going anywhere anytime soon.”

“Thanks,” she smiled and turned to Amber, “boss, I’m sorry I wasn’t careful.” She bowed her head as guilt ate her up from the inside. If she had paid attention, she wouldn’t have gotten hurt like this.

“What?” Amber blinked, confused. None of this was Michelle’s fault anyway. “when?”

“Well, I got landed here and made you worry.”

“Oh God, Michelle, no!” she stood up and placed a hand over Michelle’s bandaged face. “Honey, you didn’t do anything wrong! If anything, I should be apologizing for putting you at risk like that! I should have let you have the night off instead of work and get hurt.”

Michelle could see the hurt in her boss’ face. The hurt and enormous amount of care she had for her. It made her feel even more guilty, though simultaneously made her feel warm inside. She placed a hand over Amber’s and smiled. “And miss the chance to take that photo of the two of you? Hang on..” her eye went wide, “where’s my phone?” she pushed herself up, already in panic. “I can’t lose the phone.” She was hyperventilating. “Boss, my phone.. they’ll.. I need my phone..”

Amber was worried at Michelle’s reaction about the phone. She turned to Loki, who was up on his feet instantly. “Michelle, calm down, honey. It’s just a phone. We’ll get you a new one.” Amber tried to calm her, but it didn’t seem to work.

“No, you don’t understand. I _have_ to have that phone on me at all times.” She started shaking and attempted to leave the bed, Amber held her in place. “Boss, please.. I need to find it.”

“I can go look for it.” Loki said, coming to the other side of the bed and laying a hand over Michelle’s shoulder. “Sleep.” He softly said and Michelle turned to him, her tearful eye looking glossy and unfocused.

Amber helped Michelle into a laying position and pulled the blanket over her as the teenager fell asleep.

“There are so many thoughts going through my head right now.” She ran a hand through her hair, looking at Michelle’s sleeping form with worry. “Would it be okay for you to go look for it?” she turned to Loki.

“Of course, love.” He took her into his arms. “I do not know why she reacted that way about a device, but I have a feeling it has to do with the family fostering her.”

“How long would she stay asleep?”

“Until I wake her up.”

“Good.” Amber’s face turned stone cold. “Find her phone, meet me at Tony’s lab once you do. I’m not letting her go back to whatever caused that reaction from her.”

Loki nodded, kissing her forehead. “See you soon.”

As he vanished in a green smoke, Amber rushed to the lab, instructing FRIDAY to inform both Bucky and Tony to be there.

-*-*-*-*-*-

Tony was busy tinkering around on a piece of equipment in his workshop when FRIDAY relayed Amber’s request. He carefully set the tools aside, wiped his hands and went to the lab. On the way, he was met with Bucky.

“Any idea what’s going on?” Bucky asked as they entered the elevator.

“FRIDAY mentioned Michelle going into a full panic attack about her phone.”

“That’s weird.”

“Teenagers are quite sensitive about their technology. I don’t see why Amber is worried.”

“Then there’s more to it.” Bucky concluded. He knew Amber didn’t worry unless there was a sound reason behind it. That made him even more curious to find out what happened.

“Good, you’re here.” She said the moment they walked in.

“What’s wrong, kid?” Bucky walked over to her, worry creeping up his spine as he saw how closed off she looked.

“Michelle went into a full on panic when she realized she didn’t have her phone. Loki had to put her under a sleeping spell.”

“Okay, I knew teenagers go nuts over losing their phones, but wow..” Tony pulled a chair and sat down.

“Tony, Michelle _never_ panics.” Amber said, crossing her arms. “No matter what happens, no matter how crazy work would get. Ned and Peter would be running around like headless chickens and she’d be the _only_ one among them with a clear head.”

“True. I’ve seen it.” Bucky said, leaning against a table. “Must be something really important if Loki had to make her sleep to calm her down.”

“She almost slipped. She said “they’ll” and immediately corrected herself.” She turned to Tony, “pull up the surveillance from her room. Watch and listen.”

Tony pulled up a holographic screen and they watched the interaction up until Loki made Michelle fall asleep. Tony sat back, scratching his goatee as he started thinking.

“You don’t think her foster family..” Bucky scratched the back of his head, looking at Amber.

“Oh I am indeed thinking that.” She nodded, trying her best not to explode at them. “Can we find anything about them?”

“FRIDAY, get me all available information about Miss Jones’ foster family. Every little dirt you can dig out.” Tony said and turned to face the other two. “That kid can be a SHIELD agent for how secretive she is.”

Amber felt a sliver of pride upon hearing that. Michelle was simply amazing. Though at the same time, she wasn’t really fond of the secrecy.

Loki materialized in the lab and dusted his shirt off. “Fucking Doom.” He mumbled, making Bucky snort. “Oh hush you. He left the place in ruins. Had to do some clean-up before I found it.”

“You know it’s not time for that,” Amber walked over to him and he handed her the device. The screen was shattered, the back was broken and the battery was missing. “Shit, this will devastate her.” She mumbled and turned to Tony. “Can you..”

“On that desk,” he pointed to the desk on the far corner of the lab. It had a glass surface and a control panel on the side. Amber set the broken phone on top, and watched how a camera ascended from one side of the desk and started scanning it. “Okay, lucky for us the motherboard can be saved.. let’s see..” he went on tapping on the holographic screen before him, “and, yep, memory card as well. Luck was on our side with this one. I’ll save the personal data on a server until she has a new phone to download to.”

On another screen, information about Michelle’s foster family started coming in. They started reading them, going through the pictures and biography of each of the parents.

“They seem.. normal..” Bucky crossed his arms as he looked at the photos of the family of five. Three kids and two parents. Dressed like they were about to go to church on a Sunday.

“Too normal for my taste.” Amber was suspicious. No family was picture perfect. Especially not foster families. “Tony, can you check Michelle’s call logs?”

“Already on it. FRIDAY’s analysing the SIM card.. pulling out call logs.. ok, that number seems to call several times during a day. Especially yesterday and today..” he mused, focusing on said number, “FRIDAY, who owns that number? And check the voicemail, will ya?”

“Sure, boss.” The AI replied. “The number belongs to Mr. Gregory Marshall, an accountant, born in 1973, in Maine. Married to Mrs. Heather Marshall, housewife, born 1978 in Wisconsin. 3 adopted children, no pets, 1 foster child.”

“Criminal background?”

“None. Not even a parking ticket.”

“Too perfect.” Bucky said.

“If that doesn’t scream red flags, I don’t know what does.” Amber added. Everyone and their aunt had at least one parking ticket.

“Let’s hear the voice messages.” Tony tapped on the screen. “This one’s from yesterday.”

 _“Hello, Michelle. Why aren’t you picking up? You’re late for dinner.”_ came the sing-song voice of a woman, _“Greg will be very upset if you don’t walk in soon. You don’t want him to get angry.”_

“The fuck? They knew she was working!” Bucky looked at Amber, whose nostrils were flaring. Loki noticed and grabbed her hand.

“This one’s from this morning..” Tony pressed play.

_“Listen here, you ungrateful cretin, when we call, you pick up. Do you want a repeat of last week? I knew I shouldn’t have let you work at that wretched place. Where have you been since yesterday? I’m calling the agency to take you back. There’s no saving you anymore. Good luck being homeless, you little whore.”_

They stood, shocked at what they just heard. Amber squeezed hard on Loki’s hand and he could feel her shaking in anger.

“Take me there.” She said through gritted teeth and Loki looked at the address and location on the map, which were on the screen and before Bucky or Tony could protest, he teleported them to the front door.

Amber looked down at herself and then at Loki. He had changed their clothes. She was in her black uniform, without the bulletproof vest and he was in his battle armor, without the helmet. She smirked in approval and knocked the door three times with her fist.

“Gregory Marshall?” she said, when a man opened the door.

“Yes?” the man eyed them both, eyes widening at the two standing at his front door, but he tried to look polite.

“We’re here to talk about Michelle Jones.”

“What did that little whore do now? And where has she..” his demeanour changed instantly. Amber recognized the look of disdain he gave her. 

For once, Loki was too slow and didn’t catch Amber in time before she attacked the man, punching him repeatedly. He sighed and cast a silencing spell around them as Amber took her anger out on him.

“Just don’t kill him, dear.” He mumbled in a very calm manner, as if they were shopping for fruit at the farmer’s market and walked around the house, looking at some family photos hanging on the walls. They were always of the same five people, none of them included Michelle. He then took the stairs and came face to face with a woman, whom he assumed to be the wife. “Mrs. Marshall, I assume?”

“Who are you?” she took a step back as Loki took a step forward. “G-Gregory? Who’s this man?”

“Your worst nightmare.” Loki’s grin made her gasp and turn to run, but he stopped her with a simple flick of the hand. “Leaving so soon?” he purred as he turned around and went downstairs, her body bound and following behind him. As he reached the entrance hallway, he saw Amber was still punching the lights out of the man, who was slowly turning into a bloody pulp. “Love, it’s enough.” He put a hand over her shoulder, halting her next punch.

She jerked her shoulder away and stood up, turned to the woman, who stood frozen as she watched her husband’s unrecognizable face on the floor. “I want all the paperwork related to Michelle.” She told the woman, who looked at Loki in terror.

Loki rolled his eyes and released the invisible binding. The woman stumbled but then quickly opened the drawer on the side and took out a bunch of papers, handing them to Amber. She quickly took a few steps away and Loki put the binding on her again before she could run away. “Please, I need to tend to my husband.” She whimpered.

“She doesn’t even get a proper binder, or even a crappy envelope?” Amber looked at the papers then looked at the woman. “She doesn’t even get her papers stored where everyone else’s paperwork are kept? Lead me to her room.” She handed the papers to Loki and he put them in a pocket dimension before she walked towards the stairs leading up.

“Basement.”

“I beg your pardon?” It was Loki’s turn to speak.

“She stayed in the basement.”

“Stayed..” Amber was losing control and Loki could see it. If he was to fix things after they were done, he needed the people to be alive. He cannot resurrect the dead.

Leaving the woman bound and the husband unconscious, he took Amber’s hand and they went into the basement. Amber gasped and covered her mouth at the state of where Michelle was supposed to be living. She realized that the woman wasn’t wrong in using the word ‘stay’ instead of ‘live’. Michelle was not living here. She was forced to stay here. A broken bed, torn bedsheets. Her clothes in a suitcase, her school books on the floor. She had no desk, no chair, not even a bloody lamp for when she needed to do homework.

“No wonder she never wanted to leave work early.” She sighed.

Loki gathered what he believed to be Michelle’s belongings and put them all in her suitcase. He then stashed the suitcase, along with her school related items in a pocket dimension, ready to be retrieved whenever needed. He knew about Amber’s plan for adoption, and he would be there every step of the way to help however he could.

“Thanks,” she mumbled. “Let’s get out of here before I kill them.”

“One more thing before we go.” He gave her one of his grins, which she knew meant trouble.

When they came back to the hallway, Loki asked Amber to wait for him outside. As she did so, she heard him recite an incantation and after a few moments, he walked out, a satisfied smile on his face.

“What did you do?”

“Since Michelle hadn’t come back last night, the husband took it out on the wife and she fought back.” He shrugged as they heard police sirens in the distance.

“Nice. It won’t get her off the hook.”

“Not at all. A bit of a truth spell, and when questioned they will spill out everything they made Michelle go through. Both would be incarcerated for a long time. The children were asleep through the whole thing, but when asked, they’ll confess to the same.” He smirked.

“You looked through their minds.” She concluded. “Do I want to know what they did to her?”

“No.” Loki’s face hardened before he sighed, relaxing his jaw. “And please don’t ever ask me to tell you.” When she nodded, he grabbed her hand and they were back at the lab.

“What did you do?!” Tony stood up from his seat as he saw Amber’s bloody knuckles.

“Kid, you alright?” Bucky walked over to her.

“I’m fine.” She gave him a fake grin. “Very fine.” In fact, she wasn’t fine at all. Those fuckers had hurt Michelle in a way so horrible that even Loki doesn’t want to _say_ it. She could only imagine what that abuse could have been. She could feel her insides trembling with anger and worry, with no way to calm herself down other than making sure Michelle was forever safe from such monsters.

“Let me repeat myself, what did you do?” Tony asked again.

“Took care of business.” She walked over to a sink and washed her hands.

Loki explained to them what had transpired and both men leaned against tables, shocked at the revelation. 

“That information does not leave this room. Michelle is the one to decide if she wants to share or not.” Amber declared and the men agreed with her. “Tony, I need every help you can get me to keep those bastards from ever seeing the light of day again. And I need to start the adoption procedure.”

“Consider it done. And the initial paperwork is done. Have you talked to her yet?” Tony asked, while he was already sending off an email to one of his lawyers.

“Not yet. In the morning. Either way she’s not going back to that hell hole. She’ll be staying with me and I want her to be part of my family.” She turned to look at both Bucky and Loki. Both nodded, smiling.

“I’d suggest you go get some rest then.” Bucky said. He could see how worked up she was and he knew she needed rest.

“Indeed, I believe it’s time to get some rest.” Loki walked up to her, putting a hand over the small of her back. 

Amber took in a deep breath and nodded. She allowed Loki to walk her to his room. She wasn’t going to go home while Michelle was still at med bay.

As they walked into his room, Amber sat down at the edge of the bed and leaned her elbows over her knees. “I can’t shake off the way she reacted when she looked for her phone.” She sighed.

Loki sat down next to her, taking her into his arms and she leaned her head against his shoulder. “She’s free of them now, my love. And I believe she’ll be delighted to know you want to adopt her.”

“I know you said it before, but I want to ask you again. Are you sure you’re okay with this?”

Loki turned her to face him. “Amber Bishop, what will it take you to believe that I am ‘okay’ with this? If you weren’t going to adopt her, I would have done it myself, just to get her away from those monsters.” his gentle smile made him look angelic. Amber looked into the green eyes and felt herself drifting off into whatever land it would take her. Her heartbeat escalated as she leaned forward, capturing his lips and kissing him, slowly at first and then intensifying as she felt a rush of heat go through her body.

“I fucking love you so much, you have no idea.” She said as she tried to catch her breath after their kiss.

“And I love you, too.” He smiled, nuzzling her chin. “Now, while I would want nothing other than to ravish you,” he gently ran his knuckles over her jawline, “I suggest you get some rest. It has been a long day.”

She nodded. While she would have loved nothing more right now but to undress him, to go through the layers of armor he had on at a painstakingly slow pace, he did have a point. She was exhausted and it would have done neither of them any good if she would fall asleep on top of him by accident.

As they undressed and got into bed, wrapped into each other’s arms, Amber had some difficulty falling asleep. Her mind kept drifting to Michelle, how she had been living for the past year since she had known her, and God knows how long even before that. So much for being a trained former agent of SHIELD, when she failed to see any signs on her friend, employee and hopefully, soon to be daughter.

Or maybe Michelle was simply great at keeping things hidden. Amber would need to talk to her about that. No more secrets.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yay for no cliffhangers?
> 
> Also, I have absolutely NO CLUE how the foster care system is in the US, or even in the Netherlands (where I live). Whatever I write in the story is just assumptions on my part from seeing things on TV. Neither do I have any knowledge about an adoption process _anywhere_ in the world, other than it being very expensive and tedious, sometimes even impossible. Especially if you're not married or in a same-sex relationship.
> 
> Oh! And just so you know, I will not make Michelle's abuse (what Loki saw in the minds of those people) be too horrible. Yes, every kind of abuse is horrible, but I won't make it one that she would need extensive therapy to get through it. I'm not even sure I explained it correctly. I hope you get what I mean!
> 
> That aside, I would love to hear your thoughts about this chapter!


	27. Chapter 27

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I totally did not see this coming until I started writing it. We're at the final chapter! There was no more need to drag it out, as I had written everything that I wanted to have in this story and then some more. To make up for the sudden final chapter announcement, it ended up being a long one xD
> 
> Thank you for the comments and kudos on the previous chapters!
> 
> Warning: some smut in this chapter.

As the morning came, Loki opened his eyes to an empty and cold spot next to him. He rubbed his face as he sat up. He looked around and saw Amber sitting with her knees pulled to her chest on the lounge seat, staring out the window.

He got off the bed and walked over to her. He knelt beside her and ran his hand over her back, making her turn and look at him with melancholy in her red eyes. He could see that she had been crying at some point. “What’s bothering you, dearest?”

“Michelle.”

“What about her?”

“I’ve known her since I opened the cafe, so almost a year. Give or take a month or two. And in all that time, never once did she show any signs of distress at home..” no, that didn’t sound right. Home was not the correct name for the place Michelle was staying at, so Amber corrected herself, “..at the place she was staying. Never once did she complain. All she did was wanting to stay at work for as long as possible, and every now and then she would slip in the occasional ‘adopt me’, which I always took as a joke.” She sighed. “I feel guilty for not noticing it all this time. I could have saved her from them sooner if had I known.”

“Amber,” he stroked her hair as gentle as one would touch precious silk, “you didn’t know at the time. But now that you do, you _are_ doing something about it.”

“I wish she would have confided in me.”

“Is this about her keeping it a secret?” He smiled, knowing all too well how she felt about it.

She nodded. “Yes. And while understand the reason behind why she never mentioned she was in the foster care system, I still don’t know why she kept the emotional abuse a secret as well. I dread to think whether they had physically abused her as well.” She dropped her head over the backrest of the seat and sighed. She hoped beyond hope that Michelle wasn’t physically abused. Otherwise they’ll have to deal with some clean-up work after she would slowly kill the couple. She was sure Loki would help with the clean-up, so she filed the idea at the back of her mind, in case she decided to go for it.

“It might have been fear. Or maybe she kept it from you and her friends for the same reason. She did not want to be looked at with pity and sympathy.” Loki said in a gentle tone. He knew what had happened with Michelle and he was not going to reveal it to Amber, lest she does something they would all regret. Not that killing the bastards would be something to regret, but they had to think of what’s best for the teenager. They would arrange all and any kind of professional help she might need, but that was for later. “The look of concern that you have right now, that is what she wants to avoid seeing. Concern about her health? Sure, no problem. But concern because she is living in a less than ideal environment? That might come across as pity, especially for someone as proud as Michelle.” Loki knew from personal experience that when you had a certain image to uphold, anything that made you vulnerable was seen as weakness, inviting other people’s pity and sympathy. He hated that and he could understand Michelle’s reasons for not wanting her situation to be known. “But it will end today.” He smiled. “We will go to her and you will tell her about the adoption.”

“I just hope she wouldn’t be too mad at us for finding out about the foster system.”

“We’ll deal with it when it happens.” He stood up and reached out for her, “now come, join me in the shower?”

Shower ended up being more than just that, which was exactly what Loki was hoping for. It helped to brighten Amber’s mood and distract her mind a bit. Quite satisfied with his achievement and the amazing shower sex, Loki summoned some clothes for her to put on while he used magic to dress himself.

After the morning coffee, they headed to Michelle’s room at med bay and saw the doctor and nurse standing at the foot of the bed and discussing something. 

“I’m guessing they are wondering why she isn’t waking up.” Loki grinned.

“Seems like it.” Amber snorted. “Better go in there and wake her, before they think she’s gone into a coma or something. He wanted to check her eye.”

They walked in and first Loki explained why the teenager wouldn’t wake up, which earned him a stern “please do not do this again unless asked by one of the staff”, which in turn he elected to ignore, though he nodded at the doctor, feeding him a false agreement. Loki knew the doctor was expecting an apology, but there was no way in seventh hell he would do that. Instead, he walked over to Michelle’s side and put a hand over her head and leaned down, bringing his lips to her ear. “Wake,” he whispered and took a couple of steps away.

As Michelle slowly opened her eye, Amber came to her side. “Hey, kiddo.” She smiled.

“Hey boss,” she blinked a couple of times to clear her view. She slowly sat up and Amber helped her by adjusting the pillows behind her. As Michelle leaned back, realization hit her as she remembered the happenings from the night before. She stiffened and looked at Amber, with terror in her eye. “My phone..”

“Is taken care of.” Amber said, placing a hand over Michelle’s, though it didn’t seem to do anything. Michelle’s hand was trembling. Amber sat at the edge of the bed, while Loki stood next to her. “Michelle, I promise you it’s been taken care of.” Amber’s voice was calm. It would do Michelle no good if she would show how pissed she was at her foster parents and how worried she was for her.

“But.. you don’t understand..”

“How about we first let the doctor check your eye and then we talk?”

Michelle nodded, feeling defeated and anxious. Her eye was the last thing on her mind right now. She dreaded thinking about what would be awaiting her once she was allowed to get out of med bay. Amber and Loki went to stand outside while the nurse took off the bandages around Michelle’s head, only to reveal a swollen eye. Michelle wasn’t surprised by it. She somehow felt it coming. The sting in her eye was palpable, though she wasn’t sure what was the cause of it.

The doctor did the examination, tapped around his tablet and the nurse bandaged Michelle’s eye again. The doctor then came out and turned to Amber.

“Mr. Stark informed me of your intention to adopt Miss Jones, so I guess I can speak to you as her parent?”

“Yes,” Amber nodded, crossing her arms as she had a bad feeling in her gut.

“Her eye is infected. There must be a very small shard of glass left in there, which is why it’s swollen. We’ll need to surgically remove it, before it gets worse.”

“Is there a way for me to help?” Loki interjected.

“I am not verse in magic, Mr. Odinson. So I do not know whether you can help or not, without causing any further damage. It’s a delicate area. We will be taking her later to get the scans done, maybe we can find the glass that way, instead of going in blind, if you’ll excuse the expression.”

Amber nodded, edging towards Loki and he put an arm around her. “Thank you, doctor. I believe after the scans I might be able to help avoid surgery.” He said and it was the doctor’s turn to nod.

“That would be great. She’s too young to have any visible scars. It might affect her self-confidence.” He turned to Amber, “No offence, agent.”

“None taken, and I agree with you.” She new better than anyone what scars do to a person and she didn’t want Michelle to go through that ordeal, no matter how small or how hidden the scars would have been.

The doctor and nurse then left, leaving Loki and Amber to go back into the room.

“What did he say?” Michelle asked.

“You’ll forever be a pirate.” Amber grinned, making Michelle laugh.

“I’ve always wanted to be a pirate!” Michelle giggled.

“Good, you won’t mind a studded eyepatch then.” Amber chuckled as she sat down on the edge of the bed. Loki pulled a chair close and sat down as well. “You’ll get some scans done. There seems to be a piece of glass left behind that’s causing the infection and the swelling.”

Michelle nodded, then let out a shuddered sigh. “Boss, about my phone..” the teenager brought the subject up again.

“We took care of it, don’t worry.” Amber smiled, patting Michelle’s hand.

“When you say you took care of it, what do you mean exactly?”

“We know about the system.” Amber simply said, which made Michelle freeze.

“H-how..”

Amber sighed. “Tony, for starters, when we wanted to contact your family after you got hurt. That’s how we found out you’re in foster care. He told us you didn’t want anyone to find out. Only he had conveniently forgotten to program FRIDAY to not spill the beans, for which I am grateful.” Michelle swallowed the lump in her throat and looked down onto her lap. Amber brought a gentle hand to her chin and raised her face to meet her gaze. “Michelle, that is nothing to be ashamed of.” The smile on Amber’s face was nothing short of fondness and care. “You should never feel less than anyone else. Not because of that and not for any other reason.” She nodded her head towards Loki, “look at this one here. Adopted, had no clue most of his life. But once he found out, and not counting the rage he went through at the time, have you ever seen him be less than the arrogant, proud asshole he is?” She smirked.

“Hey, I resent that!” Loki protested, though he had a little smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.

“No, I haven’t.” Michelle smiled.

“I don’t love you any less for it.” Amber turned to Loki, reaching out and running the back of her fingers against his jaw. She then turned back to Michelle. “Nor do I love you any less.” She said, smiling. “You’re my bestie, okay? I will always have your back, just as you had mine for the past year on a daily basis. Don’t think I never noticed.”

“Thanks.” Michelle mumbled, the corner of her lip trembling as she fought against tears.

“Now for the next thing I wanted to talk to you about.” Amber looked at one of the sensors, “FRIDAY, please do not let anyone enter the room. This is a private conversation.”

“Noted.” The AI replied.

Amber turned her attention to Michelle, taking the teenager’s hand in hers. Michelle felt her heart beating frantically against her chest. They had found out about her being in the foster care system. Did they also find out about the family she was staying with? How she was staying there? Just thought made her start shaking, which made Amber gently stroke the back of her hand in an attempt to calm her nerves.

“After Tony analysed your call log, we noticed a single number that had called you several times. Especially the past couple of days.”

“My foster parents, they must have been worried!” Michelle tried to cover for them and Amber had an idea why she would do that. Fear was planted so deep into the teenager, Amber felt her heart break for her.

“No, they weren’t. Michelle, honey, we listened to two voice messages.” Amber saw the way Michelle tensed. “It’s ok, it’s been taken care of.”

“H-how..” Michelle couldn’t stop the tears anymore. “They’ll send me back to the system. I only have less than a year before I’m 18. I can’t go back to the system until then. Please, boss..”

Amber took her into her arms and stroked her back. “You’re not going back to the system. You don’t need to know how exactly we dealt with them,” she pulled back and looked at Michelle, “but they will not bother you anymore, nor will they be able to foster any more children.” She smiled.

“But that means I don’t have a place to stay at anymore, and I’ll have to.. I’ll have to..” Michelle took in a shuddered breath between sobs.

Amber cupped her face, “You’re not listening to me, kid. And let me finish. You’re not going back to the system. You’re coming to live with me.”

“And note that she said ‘live’, instead of ‘stay’.” Loki added, smirking.

Michelle wiped her eye and nose and looked at Amber, “I can stay with you?”

Amber turned to Loki, “she’s still not listening.” She chuckled and turned to Michelle again. “Honey, no, you will be _living_ with me. For as long as you wish to.”

“But I’m still a minor.. with no parents..”

“Well, I do have a solution for that. And I must say, I’m very sorry I never paid attention before and I always thought you were just joking whenever you mentioned it, but, I’d like to adopt you. I mean, I could become a foster parent, but I kind of don’t want to. I want to become _your parent_. I’d be honoured if you’d allow me.”

Michelle gasped and looked at her and then to Loki, who was smiling. She then looked back at Amber, not knowing what to say or do as emotions ran wild within her.

“You don’t have to say anything right away. Think about it, maybe?”

Michelle shook her head. “No, no, I don’t need to think about it anymore. I’ve been thinking about it since I met you. And yes, I’ve dropped the suggestion several times as a joke, but inwardly I always wanted it to become reality. I always hoped that one day you’d be like ‘yeah let’s do it’ and.. and..” she felt so overwhelmed with joy that she didn’t know how to handle her emotions, so she started crying again.

“Oh honey,” Amber took her into her arms again and kissed the top of her head, “I’m sorry I never considered looking more into it in the past.”

“Better late than never?” Loki stood up and placed his hands over both their backs. They both looked at him, smiling and nodding.

“And you’re okay with your girlfriend adopting an almost adult kid?”

Loki dropped his head and groaned. “Why does everyone keep asking me that?” He chuckled, shaking his head. He then looked at Michelle, “just yesterday after our little visit to that atrocious place, I revealed to Amber, that if she hadn’t considered adopting you, I was going to do it.”

“You guys..” Michelle was over the moon. “I don’t know what to say. I’m really touched and grateful for this.”

“You don’t need to say anything, other than sign the papers when Tony’s lawyer brings them. Tony will be taking care of the whole paperwork. After you’re discharged from here, you’re coming home with me.”

“Home.” Michelle could not wipe the grin off her face anymore. Nothing can ruin her day now. She was over the moon.

“Home.” Amber repeated and looked at Loki. “Now that we have that sorted out, how about we let the tiny spider in? He looks like he’s about to bust a vein or something.”

They all turned towards the glass doors and Peter waved nervously.

“We’ll go now, and I’ll let Tony know it’s ok to bring you the papers.” Amber placed a kiss on Michelle’s forehead. “I’ll see you later, okay? Start thinking about room decoration.”

“Okay.” 

“The offer to heal still stands, oh future step-daughter of mine.” Loki grinned as he leaned down and gave her a light hug.

“I’d like to take you up on that offer. But maybe later? I think Peter is about to have a stroke.” Michelle couldn’t stop grinning anymore.

“I’ll come back in the afternoon, then.”

“Thanks.”

As Loki and Amber left the room, Peter greeted them and quickly sprinted into the room. They watched how the teenagers talked, quite reserved and shy around each other. Loki wrapped an arm around Amber’s waist as they walked towards the living room.

“Loki,”

“Yes, dearest?”

“Would you like to move in with me?”

-*-*-*-*-*-

“You’re kidding!” Bucky was shocked, but he was grinning ear to ear.

“Not this time.” Loki smiled, wrapping his arms around Amber’s waist from behind and resting his chin over her shoulder.

“That’s a big move, you know.” Bucky looked at the both of them, feeling quite proud at how far they have come.

“Not that big of a move when we’re spending almost every day together.” Amber smiled, leaning her head against Loki’s.

Loki had agreed to move in with her and the first thing they did was to inform Bucky, their best friend, about it. They knew he would be happy for them, but seeing his reaction was simply the icing on a delicious cake.

They spent the day with Bucky, talking mostly about the move and also about the cafe and what could be done about the repairs. When Tony joined them in the conversation, he suggested to help out with that. After some protests from Amber, they had come to an agreement that she can pay him back whenever her business is back up and running, provided that she can do it without putting herself in a financial strain. Amber figured that was an acceptable deal and finally agreed to it.

In the afternoon, Amber went off shopping with Natasha, while Loki went to med bay and checked on Michelle. He was with her when they did the scans and found the small shard of glass that was left behind in her eye socket. It was a simple task for Loki to magically remove it, now that he could see where it was located. He healed the surrounding tissues and eased the swelling a bit. Michelle would still have to wear an eyepatch for a few days, until the swelling was completely down on its own. Loki went on to heal her other injuries, after which the doctor had informed them that she would be discharged by the evening, but could stay at med bay until Amber was back. Michelle had agreed to it and Peter kept her company, while Loki went to his room to recharge. Healing always sucked out his energy and the only thing he could do was to sleep, since there was no urgency like the last time he had to do it before they went to get Bucky back.

Amber and Natasha had come back just before dinner with a few shopping bags. While Natasha took her own shopping to her room, Amber went to see Michelle at med bay. She grinned when she saw her soon-to-be-daughter sitting cross-legged on the bed reading what seemed to be a schoolbook, with Peter sitting in front of her and doing the same.

“I hope I’m not disturbing this study session.” She grinned, setting the shopping bags near the bed.

“Nah, it’s just light homework.” Michelle set the book aside.

“You look much better.” Amber pulled a chair and sat down. Michelle looked much lively compared to a few hours ago and Amber was pleased by that.

“Loki did some magic healing earlier. I only need to keep the eyepatch on for a few days while my eye continues recovery.” The teenager smiled.

For the first time in a while, Michelle genuinely smiled. Only now Amber noticed the subtle difference. There was no heaviness behind that gaze. The smile wasn’t forced, just like the times they used to have fun at the cafe, when the most heavy concern they had was whether a delivery would be made on time.

Even though at the time Amber had no idea how Michelle had been living, the teenager knew how to hide her emotions. Now Amber could see the difference in the smile. She was going to learn more and more about those little quirks Michelle seemed to have. She had never considered being a parent before. When it came to Michelle, she didn’t even give it a second thought. She simply knew she wanted to do it and she was looking forward to it.

“I’m glad he did.” Amber finally spoke. “I’m guessing he went to his room to recharge?”

Michelle nodded. “Yeah. Sorry I drained him.”

Amber shook a hand at that. “Don’t worry about it. He wouldn’t have done it if he couldn’t handle it.”

Peter suddenly perked up and looked at the window. “Aw man, they really have some bad timing.”

“Is it your Peter-tingle?” Michelle asked, smirking when he glared at her. “Not my fault the name stuck.” She shrugged, which made Peter slump his shoulders and sigh.

“Go take care of it, kid.” Amber said with a smile. “You can come to my place for breakfast tomorrow morning.”

Michelle looked at Amber expectantly. That could mean only one thing. They were going to Amber’s place tonight. She would be spending her first night at her new home.

Home. A place she so far had only dreamt of having. The place she had hoped to have when she was placed in the care of her foster parents, who turned out to not be what she had hoped them to be. In fact, they were the opposite of what a foster parent should have been.

The memories sent a shiver down her spine. She couldn’t help but let out a shuddered sigh as she tried to calm herself. She was feeling nervous for some reason, though she didn’t need to. She knew Amber. She trusted her. She loved her. She knew she would be protected by her. Cherished and respected.

But she still felt nervous.

“MJ, you okay?” Peter waved a hand before her face and finally she blinked and looked at him.

“Uh, yeah. Sorry, got distracted. Did you say something?”

“Yeah, I was about to head out to the city. I’ll see you tomorrow.”

“Okay.” She smiled and nodded.

Peter got off the bed, bid his goodbyes and went on to fight crime somewhere in the city. Leaving only Michelle and Amber in the room.

“You’re worried about something.” Amber noted, standing up and sitting at the edge of the bed instead.

“Not worried.” Michelle shook her head. “Just... I don’t know. Overwhelmed, maybe?”

“It’s okay.” Amber’s voice was soft, as was her smile when she took Michelle’s hand in hers. “We’ll have dinner here, and then go home. All of us.”

“All of us?”

“I asked Loki to move in.” Amber grinned.

Michelle’s grin went ear to ear. “Way to go, boss!” She took Amber’s hand in both of hers. “That’s amazing!”

“It simply felt right.” Amber shrugged, grinning.

And it truly did. After the long separation, their relationship was blossoming by the day. They were in love and she couldn’t imagine life away from Loki anymore. They completed each other. For a moment she wondered whether the term “better half” would apply to them. He definitely was her better half. She wasn’t sure of herself matching the description, simply for the fact that he was a God and he was perfect. But it didn’t matter. As long as they were together, nothing mattered.

“Now, how about we check out what I have here for you?” Amber decided to pull herself out of her thoughts and focus on Michelle. She hopped off the bed and brought the shopping bags up and lay them on top.

“You got me stuff?” Michelle leaned forward, looking into the bags but not touching.

“It’s just a little something. We’ll go shopping together soon. Clothes, furniture, makeup, whatever else that crosses your mind. But this, for now, is simply because I felt like it. And your clothes kinda got ruined during the attack.”

Michelle held her hands against her mouth to hide the corners that drooped down. Though she couldn’t hide the tears that welled her eye and she just got up and threw herself at Amber, hugging her tight. “I don’t know how to thank you. But thank you so much!”

Amber wrapped her arms around Michelle and just smiled. “No need to thank me, o future daughter of mine.” She chuckled. “I’m happy to do it.”

“Ladies,” FRIDAY spoke at that moment, “Vision asked me to inform you dinner will be ready in 30 minutes, should you like to join the team.”

Amber released Michelle from the hug and looked at her. When Michelle nodded, Amber smiled. “Tell Vision we’ll be there. Thank you, FRIDAY.”

She ran a hand through Michelle’s hair. “Why don’t you go through the shopping bags, see if there’s something you’d like to wear tonight. If not, Loki can summon your stuff from wherever he has them. In the mean time I’ll go check on him?”

Michelle nodded and smiled. “I’m sure I’ll like whatever’s in there. But yeah, better go check on him.”

“We’ll come pick you up in half an hour then.”

Amber kissed Michelle’s forehead before she left the room and made her way to the living quarters. It somehow felt surreal to be going home with not only Loki, but also Michelle. Both with the intention to live with her and she couldn’t be happier. To think that a year ago she wouldn’t have been caught dead under the same roof as Loki; and now she asked him to move in with her. To share her living space, her bed, her life with him. Surreal didn’t even begin to explain it.

She was so lost in thoughts that by the time she reached Loki’s room, she didn’t even think of knocking first like she usually did and simply turned the knob and entered. Not that it mattered, for Loki seemed to be sleeping still. Amber closed the door and walked over to the bed. She kicked her shoes off and climbed over, nestling herself against Loki’s back and started nuzzling his neck.

Loki’s hand found the delicate arm wrapped around his waist as he slowly woke up. The soft nuzzling against the back of his neck felt so nice and it made him smile.

“Time to wake up, Sleeping Beauty.” Amber spoke softly, placing delicate kisses against his skin.

“What if I don’t want to.” He mumbled, half asleep.

“Then you’ll miss dinner.” She kissed his neck again. “And the chance to go home with us.”

He slowly turned around, making sure he stayed within her embrace. “I could forgo dinner, but I’ll be damned to the pits of Hel if I missed going home with you.”

He finally opened his eyes and was met with the brightest hazel orbs looking back at him. Her smile made his breath get caught in his throat. Just the thought of waking up to that face every morning from now on showered him with such warmth, even his cold Jotun blood couldn’t compete against.

“You’re so beautiful.” He whispered and his eyes followed Amber’s eyelids closing as she dipped her head against his chest.

“I’m not, but thank you.” She mumbled against his shirt.

“Where’s this shyness coming from?” he chuckled as he wrapped his arms around her and pulled her against him.

“It’s called being humble.”

“I do not know what that means.” He grinned when she raised her head to look at him.

“You’re impossible.”

“I love you too.”

“You just want to get into my pants.” She raised an eyebrow at him.

“And what if I do?” he responded with a raised eyebrow of his own, his hand running down around her hip.

“Lock the door.”

Loki did as he was told, sending a wave of magic to lock the bedroom door. He opened his mouth to say something, but was silenced with a pair of lips that claimed him. He held on to Amber and turned to lay on his back, pulling her on top of him as they kissed.

Hands moved about, touching, feeling, exploring. They tugged at each other’s clothes and their lips only parted when a clothing item needed to be taken off. Soon both of them were naked, their bodies pressed against each other, hips rocking in unison, while soft moans filled the room.

Amber’s hand found its way Loki’s erection and started stroking him while she straddled his thigh. His one hand was at the back of her neck, while the other moved over her back. Soft groans escaped his throat with every stroke. It was music to Amber’s ears and she could feel herself become wet for him.

“I want to taste you.” He whispered when she sucked at a soft spot in the crook of his neck. “Norns, that feels good...” he sighed, rocking his hips into her hand. “Turn around. Let me taste you.”

Amber let go of him, only to change her position. While still on top of him, she turned around and straddled him backwards. She lowered herself until all he could see were her inviting wet folds. Loki licked his lips in anticipation, at the same time enjoying the view before him.

Hands over her hips, Loki craned his neck and ran his tongue against her seam. Amber moaned and dipped her head against his hips. “Oh God, that feels good.” She placed soft kisses over his skin, not bothering to stop the loud moans when Loki started sucking at her clit. 

She tried to focus on him, but he was making it difficult for her. Wrapping her fingers around his erection once more, she licked the length of him from base to tip and he groaned. Smirking, she took the head into her mouth and gently sucked on it.

Loki groaned once more and dipped his tongue into her, receiving a moan in reply. She bent down until she took his length into her mouth. She moved her head up and down, her hand cupping his balls and making him thrust his hips upwards.

Loki was having difficulties focusing as well. The way her mouth covered his length, feeling himself at the back of her throat, it all sent jolts of electricity through his body. Pleasure was building up fast and he knew he wouldn’t be able to last long at this rate. The way her hips rocked against his face, urging him for more, helped in bringing him into focus.

She groaned in pleasure when he slid a finger down to her clit, rubbing it in circles and pressing against it. He then started licking her clit and slid two fingers inside of her, making her back her hips against him.

“Fuck...” she breathed, stroking his length as she tried to compose herself. The sensation was too much and she felt her climax building up. “Don’t stop... I’m close...” she moaned as she took him back into her mouth.

She was delicious against his tongue. Her hips kept rocking against his face, while her moans filled the room. He could feel her walls tightening against his fingers and he sped up his movements. He basked in the melody of her moans and groaned his satisfaction at how good she felt. How amazing she tasted. His voice seemed to have been the icing on the cake before she came, shaking violently against him and he drank her in, licking every drop of her until she dropped on top of him.

Her hand was still around his length, stroking him lazily while she tried catching her breath. His hands moved over her hips and back while he waited for her, even though he was a bit impatient.

Amber opened her eyes a moment later and her mouth was around him once more. Loki let out a soft moan which soon turned into a louder groan as the feeling of her mouth around him brought him closer and closer to the edge. It didn’t take much longer until climax hit him like a storm and Amber took it all in, until the last drop, before she let him drop out of her mouth with a soft pop.

She rolled off of him and onto her back, laying beside him while they both tried catching their breaths. “I was supposed to just check on you.” She said with a chuckle.

“I hereby declare this the only way to check on me.” Loki propped himself up on his elbow and looked at her. “You look divine like this.” He ran a hand over her thigh.

“You don’t look so bad yourself.” She grinned. “Now let’s get ready for dinner.” She tapped his thigh and sat up, but before getting off the bed, she leaned down on him and kissed him with passion.

“We might need some house rules. I require such kisses at all times.” Loki grinned, pulling her in for another kiss before they both got off the bed.

“I believe we can work something out.”

After a quick shower and getting dressed, they walked hand-in-hand towards med bay to pick Michelle up. When they got there, she was already dressed and watching TV.

“Hey kid, hungry?” Amber smiled.

“I could definitely eat.” Michelle returned the smile and got off the bed.

Loki moved her possessions to a pocket dimension before they headed towards the dining room where everyone else would be gathering.

Dinner, to say the least, was eventful. The whole Avengers team was there, minus Peter and Clint. Sam was as loud as ever, teasing Bucky and Steve at every given chance, while both super soldiers simply kept their reserved behaviour despite the friendly taunt. Vision was happily explaining to Bruce the latest recipe he had tried for tonight and how he came across it. Natasha was observing everyone in silence, while Wanda and Tony were discussing something concerning her powers.

Amber was talking to Michelle, while Loki listened to their conversation, only speaking when there was something to comment on.

The Avengers didn’t always dine together. When they did, though, the room would burst with energy. Loki could sense it around him. Everyone was happy and he could feel it. At some point he turned his gaze and found Wanda looking at him with a knowing smile on her lips. She could feel the energy as well. He smiled back at her and turned his attention back to the conversation happening next to him.

After dinner, they said their goodbyes to the team and agreed with Tony that they’ll come back in a couple of days to finalize the adoption papers. Thanks to Tony’s influence and connections, Michelle wouldn’t have to go through the routine adoption procedure and would only have to sign the papers in the presence of Tony’s lawyer. She was already looking forward to it.

Amber, Loki and Michelle went to Loki’s room so he could grab his belongings before they would leave. He decided on only taking the bare necessities and would come for the rest at a later time. Loki stood in the middle of the room and looked around. This had been his home for the past few years. Ever since he moved to New York, in fact. He had a lot of memories in this single room within the huge compound. Most of the memories included Amber. Those he will be taking with him. The rest were from the time they were separated. He chose to leave those behind. He was about to start a new journey with her. This journey also included Michelle. Their new daughter.

Loki had spoken to Tony at some point that afternoon, while Amber had gone out with Natasha. He had asked Stark for an addition to be made in the adoption papers. He didn’t want to be just the “step-father”. So he had requested to be added as the second parent. He knew for a fact Amber wouldn’t be against it and he had seen Michelle’s reaction when he told her he would have adopted her if Amber hadn’t planned to do so.

In a way, it was a little surprise he had prepared for the two women in his life. His new family.

Just before he was done, there was a knock on the door, followed by the door opening and Bucky walking in.

“Just wanted to see you guys before you left.” He mumbled, hands tucked into his pockets.

“Buck, it’s not like we’re moving countries.” Amber got up and walked over to him.

Bucky wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. “I know. But this time you’re taking Loki with you and it sucks even more than the last time you moved away. I was getting used to having you around again.”

Loki joined their little embrace. “I did not know I meant so much to you, Barnes.” He teased.

“Shut up, asshat. You know you do.” Bucky grinned at his friend.

“How about you join us for breakfast tomorrow morning then? Peter will be there too.” Amber said with a smile.

“That’s a nice idea, actually.” Bucky smiled as he placed his palm over her cheek. “Even though you live not that far away, I’ll still miss you, kid.” He said, softly.

“I’ll miss you too, old man. You’re always welcome at our place, you know that. No invitation needed.” She smiled at him, placing her palm over his that was cupping her cheek. “And bring Natasha with you tomorrow.”

“Will do.” He grinned.

“Shall we go then?” Loki prompted and Michelle stood up from where she was sitting on the edge of the bed.

“Hey little niece, take care of your parents for me, will ya?” Bucky winked at Michelle, who grinned at being called a niece and for having Amber and Loki being called her parents.

“I will.” She nodded and walked over to Loki, who placed arm over her shoulders. He put his other arm around Amber’s waist and pulled her close to his side. “We’ll see you tomorrow then.”

“Take care, guys.” Bucky said and watched as a green mist enveloped his friends and they disappeared as the mist dissipated. He sighed, turning the lights off in the room before he closed the door and went to join Natasha.

Once they arrived at the apartment, Amber remained standing next to Loki with his arm still around her waist, while Michelle looked around with a glint in her eye. She was smiling and Amber could see the teenager was suppressing her emotions from surfacing. She looked at Loki with a gentle smile and he returned it in kind.

Michelle turned to the both of them, the corner of her lips trembling. “I...” she took a deep breath, “I feel like I should say something, but...”

Amber’s smile widened as she let go of Loki and walked over to Michelle, pulling her into a hug. “Welcome home, kid.”

The soft spoken words broke something inside Michelle and she started crying. Amber kept holding her and gently rubbed her back. She turned her gaze to Loki, who smiled and went to join the hug. His long arms wrapped around the both of them and he planted a kiss on top of Amber’s head and then Michelle’s.

They stood there until Michelle was done crying her heart out, only breaking the hug when they were sure she was alright. Amber wiped the tears off the teenager’s face and looked at her with love and care in her eyes. “I do hope those are happy tears.” She smiled when Michelle nodded. “Would you like to see your room?” Another nod. “Alright. But be warned, it’s just a guestroom for the time being, so it’s quite generic in design. We’ll start redecorating in a few days and you can turn it into however you wish it to be. The sky’s the limit.”

“I’m sure it’s great the way it is.” Michelle mumbled as they started walking towards the room in question.

“But it wouldn’t be yours.” Amber winked at her as she opened the door to the room and motioned for Michelle to walk in first. “You can change anything and everything. Like I said, the sky’s the limit.”

Michelle turned to her new parents, her smile stretching ear-to-ear. “I love it already.”

Loki pulled her belongings from his pocket dimension and set it in a corner of the room. “Those are everything we found. If there’s any item missing, just let me know where it is and I’ll fetch it for you.” He didn’t need to specify where they had gotten her items from, because it was obvious.

Michelle nodded, but remained standing where she was as she stared around the room. She finally had her own space. Finally had a place to call home.

She finally had a family.

“I don’t know what to say.” She spoke at last, turning to look at her parents.

“You don’t need to say anything, sweetheart.” Amber couldn’t shake the smile off her face even if she tried. Her heart was glowing with joy at how happy Michelle looked. Amber knew at that moment that she had done the right thing. This was meant to be. She was meant to be a parent to none other than Michelle. Whether they would have an addition to their new family, that was for the future to decide. But for right now, it was the three of them and it was perfect.

As they let Michelle settle in, Amber and Loki went to their bedroom. Amber quickly made some space for Loki’s belongings, with the promise to create more space as needed. He was quite satisfied by just being there with her. It didn’t matter to him whether his belongings fit into her apartment or not. Though he was going to start to learn to call it “their apartment” and it would not be a difficult adjustment to make. To him, home was where Amber was. She was the center of his universe and he wouldn’t have it any other way.

Later in the evening they all settled in the living room for a movie. Amber had prepared some popcorn, while Loki fetched the drinks. Michelle was silently observing how they worked together, fetching bowls and glasses, handing them to each other like they had been doing that for years. Maybe they have been, seeing that they go way back, even before the time Michelle dropped into Amber’s life. She believed they were perfect together and she was happy to have gotten the chance to be a part of this little family they were creating.

As Michelle settled in an armchair with a bowl of popcorn in her lap, Amber and Loki sat down on the couch, with Amber nestling between Loki’s legs like she liked to do whenever they watched a movie together. She had the habit of falling asleep halfway through a movie due to exhaustion, and this way she knew she would be wrapped in the comfort of his body against hers.

They had come a long way, Amber and Loki. Meeting at the Avengers compound years ago when he had first moved in. He had teased her, undermined her. They were at each other’s throat at every given chance. Then the dynamic changed. They started becoming friends. Loki became the new addition to the Amber and Bucky friendship and they had turned into a formidable trio. The friendship between Amber and Loki had taken a different turn; they had grown closer, becoming more than friends without even realizing it at the time. Then Amber’s injury happened and they spent an agonizing year apart. Both suffering for and because of the other.

But as fate would have it, they found their way back to each other. All Amber had needed from the get go was an apology that she hadn’t gotten. She didn’t think she would ever get it, but then, to her utter shock and surprise, Loki apologized. It had shaken her to the core, despite it not being necessary anymore, for she had already forgiven him at that point. Nonetheless, it was very much welcomed.

And at that moment she had welcomed him once more into her heart, even though he had already set permanent residence there. Years before, even.

As it had always been the case, she couldn’t fight off the sleep that crept up to her halfway through the movie. The last thing she remembered before she closed her eyes were gentle arms wrapping around her and a soft kiss atop her head, while she drifted into sweet slumber.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'd like to thank every one of you who took the time to read, comment and leave kudos to this story. I had so much fun writing it and I loved hearing your thoughts about each chapter.
> 
> Thank you SO MUCH for sticking with me through this story! I still have The Art of Life going. I also have three other works in the making. And a couple of ideas for another, which I haven't put down on paper yet. Not sure yet if they would be oneshots or chaptered (well, one of them is definitely chaptered). Those I'll post whenever they are ready. You might want to subscribe to my profile if you want to get updated about any other stories I post. And at the rate my brain is working, I'm guessing there are many more to come.
> 
> Once more, THANK YOU for joining me through the bumpy right of the story that was The Apology! And I apologize if it wasn't what you were hoping it to be.
> 
> See you in my other stories! (I hope!)
> 
> Oh and I don't know, if you're on Tumblr, I'm [Kaogasm](https://kaogasm.tumblr.com/) over there too.


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